Falling in the Frey
by RavensBear
Summary: (AU) Master Sgt. Emma Swan and her team- Staff Sergeant David Nolan, Sergeant Mary Margaret Blanchard and Sergeant Graham- are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, into the warzone of Freylache. Pairings:Emma/Regina &Snowing.
1. Chapter 1

Falling in the Frey

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter One

It had only been five months, so I wasn't concerned when my C.O. called me into his office at the end of my shift. "Sir" I saluted, only because I had to. "Master Sergeant Swan." He responded and gestured for me to sit, so I did. I should have seen the big red flags go up at his use of my full rank, but like I'd said, it had only been five months since I had returned. Plus maybe I thought he was acknowledging that I had just put on the higher rank two weeks ago, though the paperwork had processed over four months before. Bureaucracy, civilian or military, was a bunch of red tape bullshit. But I digress.

"Just wanted to give you a heads up; I don't know the details yet, just general info. You're being deployed back into the Frey." Shit, I should have known. Usually they guarantee a six month break before sending you back into hell, but fighting had escalated in the region and we had lost over 650 soldiers in the last month alone. I've been serving under Captain Forrest for the past three years. Well, when I wasn't serving under some other decorated idiot in the Frey. But every time I manage to make it out alive and return back to Camp Brookes I got assigned to him as my Commanding Officer. Which is good; he came from an enlisted soldier background so he knows what it's like to be one of us.

"My whole squad, Sir?" I am the NCO, or Non-Commissioned Officer for eleven other soldiers. Separated into teams of four to make up Fireteams, it was typical that an entire squad would train and move into combat areas as one group. He pulled out the envelope that contained the orders and passed it across the desk to me. "Nope, this is different. Only orders for one Fireteam." I looked at the orders and read between the lines. "Sir, it's only a two month tour?" Like I said, I should have seen the red flags.

The next day at lunch break I was once again summoned by his personal assistant, Corporal Riddle, to Captain Forrest's office. I sat in his office, waiting for the captain. I still smirk when I read his name plate Michael S. Forrest. I try to think of what kind of cheeky parents would give their son the middle name of Sherwood. I stood and saluted as he entered the room. "At ease, Swan." We both sat and he pulled out an envelope that was similar to yesterday's.

"Alright…" he began. "…here are your official orders. 2 month tour. You and three other soldiers from your squad will leave in 72 hours." He checked his watch. "Correction, now 68 hours. You will be based out of Camp Azor, you know the drill upon arrival I trust." I nodded. This will be my fifth time into the Frey; I've got the drill down pat. Camp Azor has been my home as much as anywhere the past eight years. The Captain rifled through the rest of the papers until he found a specific one.

"Well the good news is, it's only a 2 month tour." I waited for the other boot to drop. He didn't make me wait for very long. "Bad news is, you're on protect and escort duty." P&E… Shit we're fucking babysitters. He passed me a copy of the sheet. "Her name is Regina Mills. Her family is…" he cleared his throat "…prominent in the manufacturing of defensive supplies…" Awesome, a damn war pirate. "…Get to know her file. Meet and greet tomorrow at 10:00 in room 208. Oh, and there's a formal dinner tomorrow night at 18:00 hours. Dress Greens for that Sergeant. Pass it on to your team that all four of you are expected there." He handed me the rest of the orders and wished me luck. 10:00 tomorrow only gave me a short window of time to assemble my team, get my dress uniform ready, and start pulling together our gear kits. It was going to be a long night.

I hated being told to pick three others from my squad to go back to Freylache with me. Nobody should have to go back to the warzone, let alone be hand picked for duty. It's a bit like asking me which of my squad I'm willing to risk dying just so a civilian can get a close up look at a region that should have been bombed to hell in the first place. Then, at least, we could have avoided the deaths of the fifteen thousand good soldiers who died in the name of 'peacekeeping'.

It didn't take me long to make my decision. I know that my squad has lots of strong members, but the fireteam I've lead the past two tours works well together. They may not be the strongest soldiers in my the entire squad, if you put them head to head with the others, but I know each of them well enough to know that they have each other's backs...and mine. I'm not going back to the Frey to be a hero or to get more awards. I just want to get back to the Republic alive and in one piece. That's a tough enough plan when you only have to worry about your team, but now we have a civilian to babysit. I'm sure her agenda is soooo important to her company, but that doesn't mean it makes my job any easier.

I looked at her 2"x2" headshot picture. Dressed in a typical dark gray business suit attire, Ms. Mill's keen deep brown eyes stared back. Two months of babysitting duty was dangerous enough. But then factor in that she was a civilian and a war pirate; that combination meant serious trouble. War pirates, as we refer to those in the supply side of war are simply those who make a profit over the war's continuing. As long as there is a need for bullets, guns and vests to protect soldiers from them, someone makes a living off of us fighting….and sometimes dying.

Then it hit me; she was a show pony. Somewhere, someone who had a lot more stars and bars than I did on my uniform decided that trotting out the top female executive of a civilian company would look good in a photo op. Make the Frey seem, well, safe. And what better place to take a photo then by having her shaking hands with the three-star General running the show in the Frey.

It was after dinner and tucking Henry, my ten year old son, into bed that I slouched on my living room sofa with her folder and a cold beer. The dossier was fairly brief. Regina Mills, daughter and heir to Mills Combat Vestments, Inc., graduated magna cum laude from Aston Law School. According to the file, Ms. Mills was responsible for overseeing "The implementation of development and improvement of body armor provided to Republic soldiers involved in warfare and training." A lot of words to say they made the armor that stopped, or sometimes didn't, the bullets that were shot at us. As I tossed the file onto the table and drained the last of the bottle I knew that I was completely screwed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Two

I broke the bad news to Henry the next morning. I have joint custody of my ten year old son; he lives with my ex when I am on the frontline and with me when I am back on the mainland.

"But Mom…." He started in, "….it's only been five months. That's not fair." I hugged him and tussled his hair. He was right, it wasn't fair. "I know kiddo, but it's only for two months then I'll be back." I could feel him trying to hold back from crying and it was then that the tears ran down my own face. I may have made some bad decisions in my life, okay…really bad ones, but Henry was the best decision I ever made. And he was the one reason I fought so hard each time to make it home alive. "Go grab your school bag, Kelly will be here soon. I'll come by tomorrow night to say goodbye, okay?"

I knew my ex would show up exactly at 08:00 hours to pick our son us. Kelly wasn't a great spouse but is a really good parent and I knew that Henry was in good hands. We all live on the base, so Henry would get to stay at the same school and be in the same soccer group this summer. Life would go on without me here. Still, it really did suck.

I barely had time to brush my teeth and pin back my hair when I heard the doorbell ring. I heard Henry open the door and invite Kelly in. I rushed down stairs to give our son a hug and kiss goodbye. I held him long enough that he started to squirm. "Kid…" I smiled even though my heart was breaking. "…I'll see you tomorrow." Kelly gave me a quick hug, too. "Come back from the Frey safely." One more hug for my son and they grabbed his book-bag and were gone.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and added cream and sugar. Then I went back to prepping. Taking my dress green uniform out of the dry cleaner bag, I inspected it for any creases. At least it didn't need ironing which would save me time. I found all my commendation pins and medals and slowly, methodically attached each one in its place on the jacket. I put the dress uniform jacket back into the garment bag and hung it in my truck so I could change for the dinner that evening. The drive across base took fifteen minutes and when I pulled up the rest of my team was already there.

"Looking sharp, Sergeant Blanchard." I greeted the newly promoted female on my team. Her short brown hair peeked out from her beret. She blushed and nodded her head once. Blanchard was a damned fine soldier but out of combat or drilling she let self doubt get the best of her. I could see it in her brown eyes when she thought nobody was looking. But then again, I've seen ferocity in those eyes, too. Like the last tour we were in the Frey together. Let's just say I am glad I'm not the one she is aiming her rifle at. In the middle of hell, she never second guesses herself. So, once we are back there, I know she has my back a thousand percent.

"Nolan, Graham." I nodded to the other two soldiers, too. "Looks like we're set for the super big meet and greet." Ok, maybe sarcasm did slip out when I said that, but really can you blame me? I pinned my beret on, hiding my blond hair. Sergeant Blanchard pinned the few stray wisps that had strayed from my braids.

We went through security into the building and walked down the north hallway to room 208. Captain Forrest was at the podium in the front of the room, so my team and I approached and saluted him. "Good, you're all here." He pushed another button on his computer and a power point presentation entitled Freylache: Surviving On the Frontline.

"Have a seat; I'm sure Ms. Mills will be here shortly." He pushed another couple of buttons then turned the projector to off. We all waited about ten minutes for our guest to turn up. The door opened we stood as Corporal Riddle announced her arrival.

Regina Mills walked assertively into the room, pressing the keypad on her cell phone. She turned to the man who accompanied her and sharply ordered him. "Sydney, find out why I have no reception in this room. That was a very important and expensive call that just got dropped." I swear this Sydney guy nearly bowed his head in response. "Ms. Mills…." Captain Forrest began but was cut off by her hand raised at him to be silent. "Hello? Hello?" She demanded into her phone. She huffed and slapped the phone cover closed.

Sydney had barely returned from the hallway when she pinned him with a look. "Well…?"She demanded and her eyes narrowed. Sydney paled and seemed to brace himself. "Ms. Mills, I've been informed that for security reasons there is no reception in this building." She thrust the phone into his hand. "Then go back outside, call Zubai and reschedule my call with the Prince. Then call Ashley and tell her to move my one o'clock tomorrow to noon and to pick up my dry cleaning." Again Sydney did a strange little bow and backed out of the room.

Okay, all of this might have been amusing if it wasn't so damned rude. I mean, hello, she is here to meet with us, who all managed to arrive on time and in full dress uniform. Plus, she seriously did that hand thing to the Captain? Oh shit. I closed my eyes and put on my best poker face because I just realized that my next two months were about to become a living, breathing hell thanks to Ms. Talk-to-the-hand.

My captain tried again, this time successfully. "Ms. Mills, hello, I am Captain Forrest. General King sends his regards and looks forward to meeting with you tomorrow night at the banquet." She coolly assessed the Captain. Damn this woman has balls. I mean not literally, I hope, but to be able to stare down an officer and not even blink….

"Attention!" My Captain ordered us to full attention. "Ms. Mills, may I introduce the soldiers of Company D, 23rd Battalion of the 12th Brigade." Ms. Mills stood next to the Captain and waited. "This is Master Sergeant Emma Swan, team leader." I stepped forward and stood at full attention. "This is Staff Sergeant David Noble, Sergeant Mary Margaret Blanchard and Sergeant McIntyre Graham."

" Aren't they supposed to salute me or something?" Ms. Mills questioned the Captain. "No ma'am, you're a civilian, so just say hello." She turned her attention back to the four of us and inspected each one of us from our berets to our combat boots. I was proud of my team for standing their ground against her. While she may have seen as us merely standing at attention, I know my team well and their expressions, though subtle, were definitely telling her to step off.

The Captain invited all of us to sit, so we did; my team and I on one side of the aisle, Ms. Mills and Mr. Glass on the other. The lights dimmed and Captain Forrest began his power point presentation. Slides of statistics, survival tactics and photos from the Frey clipped by on the screen. The presentation lasted a bit over 30 minutes. My team and I watched it and I was pleased to see that Ms. Mills at least was taking notes. She scribbled furiously between glancing at the slides.

"Any questions?" The Captain turned the lights back to full power and waited. "One moment, Captain…" the woman stood and handed the notes to Mr. Glass. "Sydney go fax these to Ashley, make sure she knows that I need to wrap this up before I leave tomorrow night." She then turned back to my C.O. "Thank you, Captain. That was…" she hesitated. "….informative, if not a bit graphic for my tastes. I'm sure I'll be just fine with my team helping me the next two months." My eyebrows shot up. Her team? Oh hell to the no.

"Ms. Mills." My Captain's tight smile told me that he was unhappy about her phrasing too. "May I remind you that these four soldiers are here specifically to escort and protect you. They are in fact Master Sergeant Swan's team and I would appreciate if you would refer to them as such." Go Captain! I silently cheered. She raised her chin defiantly before responding. "Captain Forrest, may I remind you that Sergeant Swan's team…." The woman's voice had deepened a bit and she bit off each word. "….is responsible for ensuring that I am able to accomplish my agenda for the next eight weeks. Don't waste your breath and my time telling me that they are just there to keep me safe."

My Captain stepped forward towards the arrogant woman. "Perhaps…" His eyes locked with hers in a battle of wills. "…you will find your priorities will change. Ms. Mills never, ever take these four soldiers for granted. If you come back alive and unharmed it will only be because Sergeant Swan's team went above and beyond the call of duty."

Ms. Mills picked up her briefcase and made to leave. "Be that as it may, Captain, I have no doubt these fine soldiers are capable of more than just a babysitting job." Damn, how did she just manage to sound like she insulted us? She smoothly turned heel and left the room, tossing her words over her shoulder. "I look forward to seeing you all tonight."

When she had definitely left the room I launched in, planning a full tirade. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" Captain Forrest brought a chair over and sat across from us. "Let me say this first, Sergeant then you can say your piece. Alright, first off, I'm sorry. I had no idea that she would be such a challenging person." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm ordering to do your jobs professionally and represent the Army with the utmost honor. Watch your backs. Keep her alive best you can, but more importantly make sure the four of you stay safe. I hope once you are all at Camp Azor she will realize the gravity of the Frey." My whole team looked to me as the Captain said "Alright Swan, you may speak freely."

I was furious! A thousand thoughts ran across my mind, but only one made it to my tongue. "Sir, who did I piss off to get this assignment?" He looked me straight in the eye and answered seriously. "Sergeant I assure you that neither you nor anybody on your team had done anything. Off the record, I know that Ms. Mills' company is very concerned about something; enough that they are sending her to fix a problem. I'm not at liberty to tell you anything more, but I'm sure you're resourceful enough to figure it out on your own."

My team had the good sense to hold their tongue until we were back outside and walking back towards the empty lot. Sgt. Graham pulled the soccer ball out of his car on our way. Once we were certain that we were out of earshot from anyone else, we kicked the ball around and had a bitch session. I let them speak freely, knowing that it was better to let them get their frustrations out now before things escalated.

These three people and I together have stared death in the face untold times. And we have kicked soccer balls around for countless hours both here on base and in the Frey; it's the one routine we all count on to keep us sane. Thirty minutes later and we had all vented and said our piece. Now was time to get back to work and prepare for battle; both for the Frey and for the dinner that night.

Our whole day was filled with completing paperwork and requisitions, kitting out our gear, and drilling P&E protocols Only one member of my Fireteam, Staff Sgt. Nolan, had ever been assigned protect and escort duty before, and he got to babysit a Colonel with eighteen years of combat experience. A civilian was a whole different can of worms.

What I thought would be a basic meal was actually a fairly large banquet. Captain Forrest and Corporal Riddle were up front when we arrived in our dress blue uniforms. The Corporal walked over to us. "Sergeant Swan, your team will sit with Captain Forrest, his wife, Ms. Mills and her guest Mr. Glass at table four." Our Captain came over and joined us.

"Anything we can do to help, sir?" I hoped there was since I hate just sitting around waiting for something to start. I do alright in combat; I can sit still and alert for hours if needed. But in social situations, yeah, not so much. "Sergeants…." He addressed my entire team. "…you have no idea how important tonight is for our unit and the base. Just try and be pleasant to all our guests, first impressions do count."

I don't know why he was worried it's not like we were raised in a barn or anything. Though looking at the table setting there were way too many forks and spoons at each plate for my liking. "Start on the outside and work your way in." I whispered to my team as I saw Graham's eyes become as big as saucers when he noticed the silverware, too.

More and more people flowed into the room. Most were military, a few were civilians. At least in a military uniform you know you look sharp. But I felt under dressed looking at the cocktail dresses and tuxedos that many of the guests were wearing. I had no idea that tonight was going to be such a big deal. I had no idea how big of a deal until I heard the announcement that General King was in the room. I nearly spilled the water in my glass as I hastily stood and saluted.

I've lived on base for four years now, off and on for combat of course, and I have only seen General George King in person two times. Once was for a big Independence Day Parade and Inspection. Over seven thousand visitors came for the festivities, the parade and the fireworks. Talk about a security detail nightmare. Anyways, that time I glimpsed the General as we marched by the grandstand where he was standing.

The other time I saw him was when our plane touched down three tours ago. For every one of us who walked down the stairs to the tarmac, there were two coffins unloaded from the cargo hold. That had been a bad flight home. I lost five of my own squad that tour and two others were permanently disabled. Staff Sergeant Gold had lost his leg above the knee and now uses a prosthetic and a cane. Corporal Leroy caught shrapnel to his lower back and was permanently disabled. I try to keep in touch with them through email and the occasional video call. Everyone says it wasn't my fault, but when you're charged with the lives of eleven other soldiers and seven of them go down…well as far as I'm concerned, the blame lies with me.

I got two commendation ribbons for that tour in the Frey. I packed them away in a box and didn't touch them for two years. Now I only wear them on occasions like tonight, when we are expected to be spit-polished and shined. People like to see war heroes decorated. I'm no hero, but I wear the ribbons in honor of all my comrades who have fallen.

So those were my two experiences with General King. Well, now my third since we were both currently at the banquet. Once we were all seated again, I was fascinated at how the General smoothly made the rounds meeting people. He shook hands, slapped men's backs and kissed ladies' hands. In full uniform any General is a very impressive site. He and another older civilian approached our table. "Hank, may I introduce Captain Forrest and his team. Captain and Sergeants, this is Mr. Henry Mills, owner and founder of Mills Combat Vestments." He smiled and chuckled at the gentleman. "The only vest for white knights in Camo armor; isn't that right, Hank?" Mr. Mills nodded eagerly. "Why, George, I had no idea you knew our company line so well." I was almost up to my knees in their bullshit when I heard the soft timbre of the woman's voice from behind. "Hello Daddy."

And then the strangest thing happened. I saw the transformation from a hell cat to a kitten. In the blink of an eye, Ms. Mill's whole expression had altered. Her demeanor softened, her stance was less aggressive and her eyes changed from steel to almost friendly. Red flags went up all over the place and I realized that this was a woman I would have to watch very closely. I have one super power; well super power is what my son Henry calls it. But I do have one damn fine skill and that's the ability to tell if someone is lying. And right then everything about Regina Mills screamed deception.


	3. Chapter 3

Falling in the Frey

Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

**Pairings:**Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers:**I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is **not** meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Three

"Regina, my dear." Mr. Mills embraced his daughter and kissed her cheek. She was dressed in a black, sleeveless cocktail dress that showed off her every asset. A stunning diamond necklace, that was probably worth more than my annual salary, glittered as it laid against her tanned neckline.

She smirked when she caught me looking at it, _but what was I supposed to say; "Nice necklace?" Yeah, she would have probably laughed at my ignorance. _

I watched as she towered over her shorter father while greeting the General. "Hello, Princess." General King replied as he gave her a kiss on her cheek. Glancing down I noticed the three-inch patent black stilettos. To the woman's credit, it was obvious that she worked out; Her calves were lean and nicely defined. I finally turned away when I realized that my eyes had followed up past the bottom of her dress' hemline. Gorgeous or not, Regina Mills was still a she-devil. It took a minute for my brain to finally kick in, but when it did, I felt a chill run down my spine. _Did the General just call her Princess?_

Thank God for Mrs. Forrest. She was an excellent hostess that night at our table; resurrecting the conversation when it lulled and getting us all to talk a bit. As enlisted soldiers, we aren't a shy lot, but in the presence of brass, aka the top officers, we tend to keep our thoughts to ourselves. My team members and I are used to the force of battle, not the finesse of polite conversations over a sumptuous meal. Mrs. Forrest was obviously an expert at these shindigs and managed to keep the conversation and tone light.

It was also clear that Regina was more than capable of the keeping up her end of the conversation. But the more I listened the more I realized that she was an expert at conversing without actually saying anything personal. She, Sidney Glass and the Forrests talked about general pleasantries like books they had all read, including a biography of one of the former Chancellors of the Republic who had ruled over one hundred years ago; they all agreed that it was insightful and they would highly recommend it.

It seemed that Ms. Mills' expression seldom changed; like she was wearing a mask. She hid her expressions very well. Only once did I see that mask slip; Mrs. Forrest had inquired about Regina's mother and for a millisecond there was an expression of fear that was quickly covered back up. I filed that information away for later when I could give it more thought.

I mostly listened to the pleasant chatter while I focused on my prime rib and baked potato. It was far better chow then I would be eating in a couple days. Camp Azor was a typical combat Army base and the mess hall was definitely not for picky eaters; you ate what they served or you starved. Suffice it to say I've eaten my share of mystery meat and mushy vegetable concoctions.

Throughout dinner, the string quartet softly played a variety of classical arrangements. Once the meal was completed, General King commandeered the microphone and stood at the podium to formally welcome Mr. Mills and Regina. The both stood and smiled, receiving polite applause from the audience. The General spoke about the history of the Mills' company and their enormous contributions to the safety of our soldier who battled on the front lines. Of course he never mentioned that the contract that ensured the Mills were one of two companies that supplied the entire armed forces with their body armor was an extremely lucrative deal for his buddy Hank Mills.

After dinner, the dance floor filled with military and civilians alike. I watched from my table as Regina took turns dancing with her father, General King and a couple other high ranking officers. Sydney watched too and I couldn't help but notice a hint of jealousy in his soft brown eyes. So she had him under her spell; information that I again tucked away for future analysis. The woman was a flawless dancer; she waltzed as if she was dancing on air, managing to make even her most stilted partner look graceful.

The next morning came far too early for my liking. I only danced a couple of dances that night but I took full advantage of the free liquor at the bar. At least it was Friday and that meant no P.T. or running this morning. I padded to the coffee pot in my apartment and poured a cup of steaming hot liquid into the mug. I let it sit to cool while I put on my camos and boots. I went to the door to get the daily newspaper that was tossed on my porch when I saw the thick manila envelope that had been dropped through the mail slot of my front entry door. Curious, I turned the plain package over as I walked back into the kitchen. I sat down and sipped my coffee as I opened the envelope; inside was a messy stack of newspaper articles, copies of memos and a single piece of paper with an unsigned message. It simply stated _F.Y.I. _ I glanced at the clock and figured that I had about two hours until I had to report on base, so I grabbed a pen and notepad and began to organize the contents, making notes of the clippings as I went.

As I started to read the articles, I found they were mostly about Mills' Combat Vestments; the articles dated back over five years when M.V.C, Inc. secured a contract with the Armed Military Forces of the Republic, the government body that oversees all of the branches of the military. The contract between the Mills' company and AMFR was for a ten year deal worth over five-hundred million dollars. In return for the generous paycheck, Mills' Combat Vestments would provide what was described as the Gold Standard of combat wear to three of the six branches of the military, including the Army.

One of the memos gave specifics of the testing parameters that the armor needed to pass in order to be considered adequate for protection of our soldiers in war zones throughout the world. The ongoing battle in Freylache was the biggest global battle at the moment, with over twelve nations fighting on one side of the battle line or the other. But there were other scrimmages that the Republic were engaged in in different parts of the world, so the need for a variety of armor was required. The specs listed didn't mean much to me, but I'm not an engineer, so the formulas and numbers were just gibberish.

There were a few photos enclosed of Henry and Regina Mills shaking hands with various politicians and officers in the military. In each one, Regina looked flawless in a stylish business suit with modest jewelry. In every one she had the same smile showing perfect teeth peeking out from full, dark stained lips; it was a smile that never reached her dark eyes.

Time flew quickly by while I was trying to absorb all of the information and working out how everything was connected. I glanced up and the clock and found that over an hour and a half had passed. I was due on base in thirty minutes, but I needed more time to work this puzzle out. Unfortunately time was the one thing I lacked; we were set to deploy the next day at 17:00 hours. Most of that time would be spent preparing for the mission and hopefully getting some sleep; but even if I gave up my sleeping time, I still wouldn't have the ability to get to the bottom of things.

It was still early, but I knew that Sergeant Gold would be awake. I needed a favor, and favors were his specialty. When we were in the Frey he managed to get a hold of more, well not exactly contraband items, but rather hard to come by things. There was always a price for his favors, but fortunately he actually owed me one for saving his ass in a battle, and I knew he would follow through for me. Plus he hated being indebted to anyone, so I knew he would be glad to clear the record before I left for Freylache.

I grabbed my pay-by-the-month cell phone and dialed the number. The phone only rang twice before I heard his familiar voice. "Sergeant Swan, what a pleasure to hear from you." Paul Gold was from the Highlands of the Republic and his accent was unique up here in the Northern Plains.

"Rum, its good to talk to you, too." I couldn't help but smile. On our last tour to the Frey, he had managed to acquire a few cases of Rum. He traded them, bottle by bottle for all sorts of weapons, favors and food,some people started calling him Rum Paul. He seemed to take a keen liking to it and so the name stuck. He wasn't much of a soldier, but he was a hell of a wheeler-dealer, which helped our squad survive as much as our gun power and combat gear did. "What can I do for you this morning, Sergeant? Going to let me clear my debt I hope." He really did hate owing anyone a favor.

"Actually yes, I really need your help." I hated needing help, but this was something I didn't have the time or resources to do myself and he was my best trustworthy option hands down. "Rum, I'm being sent on P&E. I need you find out everything you possibly can about Regina Mills and her company, Mills Combat Vestments."

I could hear him making notes as we talked. I told him everything I knew from her dossier, the dinner last night and the meeting yesterday. I read him a bit from the notes I had made from the package this morning. If anyone could ferret out the details, it would be Paul.

"Alright, I'll contact you when I have what you need. And Sergeant Swan... stay safe."


	4. Chapter 4

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

**Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)**

**Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.**

**A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.**

**Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.**

Chapter Four

I pushed the speed limit a bit, hoping that I wouldn't run into the Military Police, who were infamous for giving out speeding tickets to soldiers who were running late in the morning. Luck was on my side and I managed to report for duty with one minute to spare. The rest of my team, as well as Sidney, were already in the room when I walked in; Ms. Mills and Captain Forrest were having a discussion at the front of the room, so I slid into a chair next to Sgt. Graham. "What's going on?" I whispered to him, trying to avoid attention from my Captain or the Ice Princess.

He shrugged his shoulders and whispered back. "Dunno."

Well, that was a lot of help. I had planned to spend time with my team this morning. We needed to go over the details of the mission, the timeline and to double-check that we each had the proper equipment set and packed for the trip. Apparently I was no longer in charge of the operation, which frustrated the hell out of me. My Captain came and sat next to me, writing one word on a notepad: He angled the pad so that I could read his message. Behave.

I felt my eyes narrow and the mouth tighten as I watched Regina at the front of the room. She took a slow, deep breath and began. The deep timbre of her voice softly echoed in the small room. "I want to thank Captain Forrest for allowing me time this morning to share with you a bit more about our company, Mills Combat Vestments." She was dressed in a deep gray suit with a midnight blue colored silk blouse beneath her fitted wool blazer. A simple, white gold chain adorned her neck; and what I was sure was a very expensive watch clasped her delicate wrist.

"At Mills Vestments, we are very proud of our fine line of combat protective wear that provides life-saving body armor for soldier of the Republic." She was in Public Relations mode today, and I had to hand it to her, she was damned good. She was smooth; making eye contact with each one of us and smiling. if I hadn't read the indifference in her eyes I could have believed that our little group in the room were the most important people in her life at the moment. With the remote control, she dimmed the lights and turned on the power point presentation. The Mills company logo was displayed along with their trademark ACR logo for the 'At Close Range' line of body armor.

The tagline of "The only gear for white knights in camo armor" was written in small script at the bottom of the screen. Reading it only served to remind me that General King had quoted their company line just the night before.

"As one of only two providers of combat protective wear, we take seriously the responsibility of researching and developing the best armor to protect you in the field. Our soldiers are an important part of the peacekeeping effort throughout the Freylache Regions. Mills Vestments appreciates the outstanding job you do, putting your lives on the line in order to protect the innocent citizens of their lands." The screen displayed a group of soldiers smiling at a line of ragtag children entering a modern school the Republic had built in the capital city of Rimle.

Okay, I honestly don't know where she got her information, but if she really believed that we were just over there to keep the peace among the locals, she was totally naive. Regina Mills may be many things, but naive was not an adjective I would have used to describe her.

The Republic and other allied countries have risked the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers over the past seventeen years, not for the good of the tribal clan leaders that ruled their domains with iron fists, nor for the people who lived in thatched huts without electricity or running water because their leaders refused to allow them to modernize their region. No, the only reason we wasted tens of thousands of lives, as well as billions of dollars was for one simple fact; their lands are rich with Lantth, a resource we depend on for all manners of technology in the Republic. Our computers, our phones, our refrigerators, hell most everything we use to maintain our quality of life relies on a supply of Lantth. Any technological advancement we have made in the last fifty years was because of Lantth; and bottom line is we don't have any of it to mine in our own region.

I split my attention between Regina's presentation and the woman herself as her sales pitch got to the heart of the matter. "Mills Vestments is pleased to announce that we are offering an improved version of our most popular body armor. Our At Close Range line has long been the gold standard of military grade protective, offering superior protection from a variety of assault weapons. But as the enemy's weapons continue to improve and pose a greater threat to our soldiers, it is necessary for us to be able to keep you safe against these emerging threats. We are pleased to announce our new line of ACR Elite Body Armor. It comes in a variety of options to provide the optimum protection for every situation.".

Slide after slide showed different levels of protection; from their Enhanced Small Arms Protective gear, dubbed ESAPI, which would give full body protection to everything, including body piercing armor, the price of being immobilized and trapped in a hard-shelled cocoon; to the basic Outer Tactical Vest , or OTV, that was lightweight and flexible but not quite as protective as the other options. It would stop 9 mm bullets and shrapnel, but everything else could get past in and into your torso. There were different configurations so that every soldier could theoretically pick and choose their own gear. All of this sounded all good and well, but I realized that in offering the soldiers the choice of protection levels, it took the liability off of Mill Vestments if the soldier was injured. It seemed that Regina Mills wasn't just gorgeous, she was smart too, at least when it came to having business savvy.

My mind began to wander, questions and theories weaving their way through my gray matter. I let the thoughts run their course until a few began to repeat themselves over and over. The key question I kept asking myself was Why. Why would the Chief Operating Officer of a War Pirate business need to go firsthand to the Frey? And what could possibly take two months to accomplish her plans?

I began writing the questions down on a pad of paper while I halfway listened to her presentation. I doodled a bit too; little scribblings of cats as well as stick figures wearing various tactical gear. I had to quickly close my eyes when the lights in the room suddenly brightened. The presentation was over and Ms. Mills was still up front, leaning against the solid wooden desk; her arms were behind her, supporting her body as she stood with one leg crossed in front of the other. Her stance made her blouse pucker slightly at the buttons and I could have sworn she subtly arched her back, as her breast seemed to press tighter against her blouse. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part.

Once again, her lips curved into a smile; but once again, it didn't reach her eyes. "Captain and Sergeants, thank you again for giving me the time to share with you the exciting new products that we will be offering to soldiers in Freylache and elsewhere." She uncrossed her legs and stood, turning to the lectern beside her, she took a small stack of papers. She passed them to the Captain and asked him to pass them around.

"Since you are going to be my first line of defense in Freylache, it's only fair that you get the first sets of our Elite Body Armor. All you need to do is fill out the requisition form and return it to me by four pm tonight; I'll make sure you have the armor you requested by tomorrow morning at eight o'clock tomorrow. Okay, any questions?" She moved behind the lectern and waited.

I was the first to raise my hand. She gave a small smirk. "Of course, Miss Swan."

"Master Sergeant Swan." I corrected. "And my question is, why are you going to Camp Azor and to the Freylache region at all?"

"Excellent question, Master Sergeant." She emphasized my title as she answered. "Our company is so excited to roll out this new line of protection that I am personally overseeing the disbursement of the Elite Body Armor. Mills Vestments has decided to donate ten thousand body armor suits to soldiers of the Republic, and what better place to start than with those literally in the line of fire?" She took a sip of water from the glass atop the lectern. "As you can imagine, that is a sizable amount of money and it would be disastrous if it ended up in the wrong hands."

Okay, she had a point there; if my calculations were right, then at three thousand bucks a pop for each armor suits, times ten thousand, meant a donation worth over thirty million dollars. The contract with the military is worth fifty million a year, so why donate over half of a year's finances? I appreciate generosity and altruism as much as the next person, but it was bad for a business' bottom line to give away the profits. My head started to hurt as each thought led to yet another question. And every question that popped into my mind started with Why?

The rest of my team asked a variety of questions about the armor itself, and Ms. Mills was adept at answering each question intelligently and thoroughly. I looked at the requisition form, surprised at the variety of options that we had been given; if we had wanted ten of every piece of gear, I got the feeling that she would have gladly provided it. I tucked the sheet into my notepad, deciding to go over it that night at home.

Captain Forrest stood and thanked her for the presentation before he stepped behind the lectern to address us. "You have a ten minute break before we reconvene; we'll be going over the gear list, your paperwork requirements and timeline of the mission." He turned his attention to Regina. "Ma'am you can choose to be here with us this morning, but it isn't necessary. I'm sure you have business to tend to before we meet this afternoon."

"She gave a sharp nod, and though her response was polite, I couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Yes, thank you Captain, I do have important matters to address at the office. Contact Sidney if you need to reach me before this afternoon." She gathered her black leather coat and gloves and walked out, her heels clicking on the concrete floor. Sidney followed her like a puppy and I had to laugh as I imagined her patting him on the head for being a good boy.

"The rest of you are dismissed for ten minutes; Report back here."

I took advantage of the few minutes to use the restroom and to exit the building. With cell phones reception blocked inside the structure, it would have been impossible for me see if I had any missed calls or text messages. I didn't expect Rum Paul to get back to me yet, but I was anxious to see if he had. I wasn't disappointed; as soon as the lines on my cell phone appeared, so did the words 1 new message.

I flipped the phone open and retrieved the text ; Rum's message was short, and to anybody else it would seem an innocuous choice of words. Emma. Test results are back. I have an MD appt tomorrow am, let's meet for lunch afterwards? I've been craving fish. RP

I felt roaring in my ears as I reread the words. Shit, shit, shit. I flipped the phone closed and struggled not to panic. "Are you alright, Miss Swan?" Regina suddenly appeared beside me, her tone more curious than worried.

I forced myself to stand up straight and respond. "Yes, thank you, ma'am." I waved her off. As she walked away I had to add... "And it's Master Sergeant Swan." She simply kept walking, but raised her hand in the air to show she'd heard me.

I watched her go before I turned back and entered the building; Rum's message was a dire warning. To most people MD would mean medical doctor, but he was speaking in code and MD meant mortal danger; his craving for fish told me where to meet him for lunch. Whatever he had found out was important enough to meet with me in person.

I've faced death before; I have looked it in the eye and it blinked first. But, I knew the rules of the game of war. I knew that in the Frey it could come down to kill or be killed. I'm still alive, but others are not; I've killed enemies, I've lost friends and comrades. I thought that I was beyond fear when it came to my mortality, but Rum's message proved that I was just as human as the next person. I still had a soul, but I wondered if the same could be said about Regina Mills.


	5. Chapter 5

**FALLING IN THE FREY**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

**Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)**

**Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.**

**A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.**

**Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.**

Chapter Five

I was grateful the rest of the morning and early afternoon passed quickly and without any surprises. The Captain dismissed us at 1500 hours and recommended that we use the rest of the day and evening to prepare for our departure. Walking to my car, I weighed my options; Kelly would keep an eye on my house, I was already packed for deployment and Henry was still in school, so I couldn't spend time with him yet. I had just started my engine when my phone chimed that I had a message; it was from Kelly reminding me that Henry had a basketball game at 1900 hours and that he was hoping I would be there. Of course I would, and I texted her back to let Henry know to expect me. I asked if they wanted to do dinner afterwards, figuring it would be nice to spend some family time together before I left. Kelly and I were divorced, but we still got on pretty well; enough that we could enjoy an evening together with Henry.

That gave me four hours to myself, so my first stop was the Gun and Rod Club that we had on base. The Army has shooting ranges on base as well, but you have to schedule your time in advance and it's pretty much a pain in the ass to go through the process just to shoot a few rounds. The GRC lets members come anytime and if there is an opening you get it, if not you have to wait around for awhile. I tried not to be a little bitter that I had paid the forty dollars for a year membership, only to be shipped back out five months later.

I entered the large concrete building and, showing my club card, signed in at one of the five open checkpoints. Turning over my ID and firearm for inspection I watched as a steady river of soldiers flowed through the security checkpoints. Busy day. I mused as I saw a variety of weapons, from the standard issue D-5 sidearm like the one I was using at the range, as well as a couple D-12 rifles and even a D-1005 shotgun. The security officer found the copy of my gun permit on file, returned my ID, weapon, ammo magazines and bag to me and assigned me a lane.

I clipped my range tag on the lane number before entering the booth. I placed my unloaded weapon on the provided counter, as well as fifty rounds of range ammo. The range won't allow live ammo during practice; I guess they frown on the idea that a bullet can penetrate the building, or another body. I opened my bag and removed my safety glasses and protective earmuffs; placing them on my head, I loaded the first magazine into my pistol and faced my target.

Shooting at a paper target is very soothing to me; it lets me clear my mind and focus on just one thing, that is, making the shot. I pushed the button that slid the target out one hundred feet from the booth. I could feel my nerves and mind become still as I aimed my weapon at the bullseye in the rings on the torso. My firearm kicked on my first shot, which pissed me off a little. I refocused on my target and emptied the magazine into the paper target. I sat my discharged weapon on the shelf and pushed the button to draw the target up so I could see how I did. As I anticipated, one shot was a little high, but the rest went right into the bullseye and formed a small circular hole in the paper. I set the target back out and reloaded my weapon; this time I aimed for the target's head.

After target practice, I felt much calmer; even the intimidating Regina Mills combined with the upcoming danger of the Frey seemed manageable. I headed home, planning on a short run before I showered and headed to Henry's basketball game. The game was at the Youth Center on base, so at least I didn't have far to drive to get there. My house felt empty when I walked in. Without Henry there, the quietness was usually a welcomed change, but I already missed him and knowing I would be gone for eight weeks just made me feel worse. I changed out of my camo BDU's and into a pair of black shorts and a black t-shirt with Army written in gold letters across the chest. I pulled my hair into a loose ponytail, regretting that I didn't have time to get it cut before I went to the Frey.

Running isn't my favorite activity, but the Army continually tests us on our running times and distances, so it's a necessary evil that I endure. I'd much rather pump weight or ride my bike, something I indulge in on my days off on base. The sun was just setting as I turned down my street and headed onto the three-mile loop that I usually ran. By the time I finished my route, the sun was down and I ran the last leg to my porch. Twenty-six minutes, thirty-one seconds. Not bad. I paced up and down the street , knowing that I needed to cool down and stretch before I was finished. I'd have to get my time under twenty-two minutes for the Army physical test, but I wasn't worried; my run that night had been more about getting the adrenaline settled rather than trying for a good run time.

I had just showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a white tank top, when I heard the doorbell ring. I was towel drying my hair when I got to the door and looked through the peephole. I figured it might have been Henry coming to get me for the game, or maybe even one of my teammates wanting to discuss the mission. But there was no mistake that the person on the other side of the door was non other than Regina Mills. What the hell? I thought as I dropped the towel over the back of the couch and ran my fingers through my unruly hair. The bell rang again and I rolled my eyes as I went to reach for the handle.

"Yeah?" I asked to the impeccably dressed woman who stood on my porch. I probably should have been more polite and graciously asked her inside, but it was 1845 and if I didn't hurry I would be late to my son's game. She flashed me a tight smile; I cocked my eyebrow up, unimpressed.

"Miss Swan, I see you neglected to return the armor requisition form to Captain Forrest." She scolded. " I really do need it so that I can have the requests filled by tomorrow morning as I promised." Her eyes trailed down my body, then up again to my eyes; more like she was sizing me up rather than checking me out.

"I'm not submitting one, so that should make your job easier." I casually replied. "And for the last time, it's Master Sergeant. I've worked hard to earn the rank and each time you refuse to use it, you insult me." I could tell I pissed her off because there was a fire in her eyes when she answered me.

"Are you always this damned stubborn, Master Sergeant" Her voice was laced with anger. "Have you considered that by refusing my generous offer, you have offended me?" She thrust a blank acquisition form at me.

I quickly weighed my options; refuse armor and start these next months with her pissed at me, or fill out the damned form and have her think she won this round. Screw it. I took the proffered form from her hand and quickly checked the requisition box for an Outer Tactical Vest; at least that was something I could use off-duty when I got back from the Frey.

I signed the form and handed it back to her. "There. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a basketball game to get to." I closed the door behind me and headed down the walkway to my car. As I started the engine of my little car, I watched her walk to a black town car and gracefully slide in the back seat. Must be rough being you. I thought as the chauffeured car drove away.

I walked into the Youth Center and down the west hallway to the gymnasium. All three courts were filled with youth basketball teams in their assigned jersey colors. I walked along the sidelines, to the back of the room, accompanied by the sounds of bouncing balls, tennis shoes squeaking on the polished hardwood floors, and a din of noise that was occasionally punctuated by a referee's shrill whistle. Henry's game was in the center court, so I walked along the back wall until I saw Kelly sitting on the hardwood bench of spectators. "Hiya." I nudged her shoulder with mine.

"You made it." She sounded pleased. "Henry will be glad, too." Just as she said that I looked over at my son as he looked at me, giving me an enthusiastic wave and smile before he refocused on the game.

It was hard seeing Henry again, knowing that I would have to say goodbye in just a few hours. I knew he would be fine while I was away; Kelly would make sure that he was kept busy, did well in school and was safe. But there was still a dull ache in my chest as I watched my son running up and down the floor in his blue cotton jersey and black shorts. I couldn't help jumping up and cheering when he made a lay-up. He smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up.

After the game, Kelly and I waited near the locker room door for Henry to emerge. When he did, he had changed back into street clothes. I swear he had grown an inch overnight and I scruffed his dark hair, giving him a tight hug. "Hey Mom, did you guys see me make that shot?" We both smiled and nodded with pride.

Yeah, Henry was going to be just fine, but I wasn't sure that I was. I turned in early that night, hoping to get some extra shut-eye;' but the events from the past two days rolled around in my head, making it impossible to sleep. I reached over to the bedside table and turned on the small reading lamp. Next to it laid the mysterious manila envelope. I sat up and reached for it, letting the contents spill onto my lap.

Rum's warning went off in my head again, reminding me that this package contained clues to something dangerous; I only hoped it wasn't as serious as Sergeant Gold had made out. I looked at each photograph, especially the ones that weren't part of a publicity photo shoot for the Mills Vestments company. These were taken when Regina was unawares, capturing her in more private moments. A few of them had her father in the photo as well, but nothing I could find gave evidence of who the person was behind the camera. Why take these photos? And why give a copy to me? I put everything back into the envelope and determined that I would take the whole thing with me tomorrow to show Rum. Maybe he would see something that I was missing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Six

The morning passed too slowly for my liking; my team started the day at 0600 with physical training, which meant another three-mile run plus an obstacle course built to replicate a typical city street outside Camp Azor in the Frey. Not only was it a grueling course, built with barbed-wire and sandbag barricades on a hard dirt floor that was littered with sharp pebbles and stones, but we were also under gunfire the entire time by base soldiers posing as local rebels. The bullets were non-metallic and non-lethal'; they wouldn't penetrate the skin, but they could leave a nasty bruise. We were armed with similar ammo, and our goal was to reach the end of the course alive; bonus points were given if we managed to hit one of the marksmen shooting at us. We all survived the ordeal, though most of us had scrapes and bruises. Really, it wasn't necessary, in my opinion, to send us to the Frey pre-injured. But, the Army wanted to make sure we were prepared, both mentally and physically, for the job ahead. Both Blanchard and I managed to pick off one of the 'rebels', giving us bragging rights over the men in our unit.

We were still razing them in the conference room while we waited for Ms. Mills to arrive. She showed up promptly at 0800, and as she had promised, she brought the requisitioned armor with her; rather it was Sidney wheeled the dollie full of boxes in front of him. Today, she wore a simple, yet stylish outfit, of a deep red turtleneck that looked custom tailored for her. I mean, who usually looks good in a turtleneck? On me they just choke my throat while managing to hang loosely everywhere else. On her, it looked downright gorgeous; paired with designer black jeans and black flats she seemed almost normal.

She sat in the aisle across from us, and gave us a quick appraisal, she looked at the Captain and addressed him. "I trust everyone is ready?"

Seriously? I mean, it's not like she was the one up at 0600 crawling on her hands and knees, hiding behind burnt out suv's while dodging bullets. Probably the hardest thing she had to do this morning was make sure her lipstick didn't smear.

"Ms. Mills, I am quite sure the team is ready to roll." He curtly responded.

"Good." She purred as she stood up and went to the boxes. "Well, as promised, Mills Vestments has a few presents for each of you. I want to thank most of you for filling out your requisitions in a timely manner." I smirked, wondering if she thought her little dig would affect me; if anything it just amused me. "So, without further adieu, here is your new body armor."

Sidney cut open the top of the first large box and pulled out a smaller package. "Sergeant Nolan." Regina smiled as David walked forward to receive the box.

"Thank you." He smiled as he accepted the gift.

"Of course." She beamed. "Your safety is our priority." Sidney pulled out the next box and she read the name aloud. "Sergeant Graham."

Soon Sergeant Blanchard was called and received her box; I waited, knowing mine would be just a small package with the outer tactical vest. Instead, when she called my name, putting an emphasis on the Master Sergeant Swan, my box was the same size as the rest of my teams. "I took the liberty of ordering you some extra armor, seeing as you chose the least practical item we offer." Her smile was tight as she handed me the package. Round two of our battles went, again, to Ms. Mills.

"Thank you." I responded as I took the package back to my table. We all unpacked our armor and inspected each piece. I wasn't surprised to find one of everything in my box. I inspected the neck and deltoid protective gear and decided that perhaps they would be practical to take along into the Frey; the rest I would leave back here on base. I had perfectly fine armor already packed and I had no desire to be a guinea pig trying out a new line of untested armor in the Frey.

The Captain gave us a few minutes to look things over before he stood and called us back to order. "Thank you, Ms. Mills and Mills Vestments, for your generous donations. I'm sure that many soldiers will be excited to get new combat gear. Now let's move on and make sure all your documents are in order." He handed us, including Ms. Mills, a manila envelope with our names on it. We opened the envelope and took out the package of papers.

"Your TDA papers should be correct, double-check them now." He instructed as we started with our temporary duty assignment forms. When you go TDA, there is an incremental increase in pay; going TDA to Camp Azor gave the highest increase since it was in a designated battlezone. "Ms. Mills." The Captain noted her confused look. "You won't have this form in your packet." She stopped looking and just sat quietly.

"Next up, is a copy of your temporary housing order. Ms. Mills, you should have one of these; it's the light blue form." We all pulled out the form and checked it. As I figured, Sergeant Blanchard and I were bunking in the female housing; it was just a giant tent that housed twenty beds. Sergeants Nolan and Graham would be in similar quarters for male soldiers.

"I really don't know what I'm looking at." Regina voiced her confusion. I sighed before I moved over and sat next to her.

"Here." I pointed to her housing order. "You are in the VIP quarters, section 300. When we get there, I'll show you where it is." She actually looked grateful at my assurances.

We all initialed the bottom of the housing form and passed it to the Captain. "Now the checklist." He stated as he collected our forms and stacked them together. He pushed a button on the wall and a young Private walked in and took the papers away.

"Alright, I know you all know the drill, but I have to go over it with you again." He pulled out the Welcome to Camp Azor newsletter and began to paraphrase from it. " Private Williams will give you back ten copies of your orders; leave a copy with your Next of Kin or spouse in case of emergencies. Official orders will serve as your plane tickets for traveling to, around, and from the theater. You'll also need three copies to file with your travel voucher. Pack as compressed as possible; there are points along your journey where you will have to claim your luggage and move it quite a distance. Don't make bags so heavy that they can't be lifted."

The one thing about the military is that it is big on redundancy. If you check everything over five times, then maybe there won't be mistakes or misunderstandings. So, we look at every form, every order, everything...more than once, usually more than twice, to make sure it's right.

The Captain began again reading from the newsletter. "General Order No.1B (GO No.1B) is enforced at Camp Azor. Among other things, GO No.1B prohibits the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or nonprescription drugs; possession of pornography; and entering sleeping quarters of the opposite gender. These are serious offenses and the consequences are severe."

I read along as he referred to numerous points within the four page document. "Traveling to Camp Azor can be time-consuming. Following these simple steps should assist. Travel as light as possible. You'll be picking up 2-3 additional bags at Mingus AFB. Upon arriving at Mingus, you will receive a briefing from PERSCO and Log Plans. Travel arrangements from Mingus to Camp Azor will be made by Mingus Log Plans and posted in the Mingus Pax Terminal. Please be sure to frequently check your flight info, because it can change at any sure to communicate with your sponsor as much as possible. Relay any flight info/changes that you have to your sponsor so they will be able to meet and greet you once you land at Camp Azor."

He put down the newsletter and pulled out a photocopied checklist. "Now, let's make sure you have things taken care of back here. Number One, did you all arrange for stoppage of your mail?" We all nodded our heads, except for Regina, who made a note on the pad next to her and showed it to Sidney, who stood and left the meeting. Apparently, this was a new concept to her. "Number Two, your dental, health and life insurance policies will transfer to your TDA location of Camp Azor. Look over the copies there and note if anything isn't correct." Again, Regina made notes on her pad as we went over the next seven items on the list.

Private Williams reentered the room and handed the Captain five thick packets. He reviewed the packing slip and signed it. "Master Sergeant Swan, it seems your team's paperwork is in order and you are cleared to report to Camp Azor effective at 1700 hours tonight." I glanced at the clock and noted it was 1100 hours. "Your team will reconvene here for a special briefing at 1400 hours today; make sure you have all of your paperwork and supplies with you when you come for the meeting. You will be moving directly from the meeting to the transport area for your departure. Dismissed."

He turned and addressed Regina. "Ms. Mills, the team will meet you at 1700 hours in air hangar seven. Please be sure that you're on time and have all your paperwork and supplies with you. The plane will depart sharply at 1730; with or without you."

I don't blame her for looking affronted, but it was kind of satisfying to see the Captain put her in her place. "You needn't worry Captain, I'll be there." She glared at him.

Dismissed, my team quickly scattered as we all wanted to make the most of our last three hours of freedom. I drove my car downtown to the wharf area and looked for a parking spot on the usually busy streets. I lucked out and found one only half a block from Fins; the restaurant that I was meeting Rum Paul at 1145. When I walked in, I spied him at a table in the middle of the restaurant. He saw me as I walked towards him; he stood and leaned on his cane while he waited for me to reach the table.

"Master Sergeant Swan, you are looking well." He smiled and shook my hand. I subtly looked him over, I hadn't seen him in over three months and he was looking thinner and more frail than I remembered. Losing half of your leg would be traumatic and I'm sure the physical therapy was grueling for him.

We sat before he quickly passed me a menu. "Let's order first? The service seems to be a tad slow today." He explained. But, it was out of the ordinary, which gave me pause. Usually we ordered a drink first and caught up on old times before ordering our food.

"I opened the laminated menu to find a note inside. your 9 o'clock...one of hers? I pretended to peruse the menu as a carefully looked over to my left. At first I only saw a tow-headed blond Marine in uniform, but as he shifted forward I caught sight of the darker man. What the hell was Sidney Glass doing here. I subtly nodded at Paul, who just sipped his water in response.

"You know, Emma, the doctor suggests I get more sunlight; seems he's worried I'm not getting out enough." He waved down our waitress. "Miss, if you don't mind, we'd like to sit at a table by the window."

"Of course, sir." She responded and we followed her to a corner table that had glass windows next to and behind me.

"Much better I think." He smiled at her and told her it would be just a few minutes before we ordered.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

"Simply being observant, Swan; when I walked in I thought I recognized the man from a photo I saw on the Mills Vestments website. And then the hostess immediately sat me next to the partial wall with the plants on top of it. Never even asked if I wanted a booth or a table."

"You think he bugged the place?" I was worried that perhaps Rum was taking this whole conspiracy thing a bit far.

"Can't be sure, but better to be careful. Here..." He gestured at our unrestricted view around our table. "I can be assured that we are free to talk. Now, how about a drink?" As I waved to our waitress, I saw Mr. Glass slip out the front door.

We ordered our drinks as well as our food before we settled into the conversation. "Your telephone call was unexpected, but then again, so is this PR trip into the Frey." He began. "I spent yesterday and this morning trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together, but I'm afraid I haven't managed to find all the pieces yet. But here is what I do know." He handed me a small USB drive. " I've put everything I've found on that; find somewhere safe to hide it once you've seen it. He handed me a small box. "I acquired a netbook for you to view it on. Don't use any of your own computers or the network on base. I can't tell who's involved and who can be trusted; but you need to watch your back."

This all seemed so 'cloak and daggerish' that I had to laugh. "Seriously Gold? You think it's that dangerous?"

He nodded sharply. "Quite dangerous, I'm afraid. I was able to hack into the mainframe of the Mills Vestment database, but I opened one hidden file and tripped an alarm; all the data on the server became scrambled and then completely deleted itself. I was able to snoop around for quite a while before that incident, and I captured it all on that USB drive." I shoved the small device deeper into the pockets of my camo BDU pants.

"There appears to be a shell game going on within the company. Money as well as materials are transferred to another account, but then the trail goes dead. I kept running across the name of a company called PPI and was able to find the names of two registered owners: a C. Wright and J. Bane. Their company has a website called Protective Products International: it sells identical armor that Mills Vestments provides, but for double the cost. There's also a hidden link on the site that's password protected, but the sign in form is written in Volipuk."

That threw up a red flag in my brain. Volipuk was one of the dialects spoken in the Frey. It was primarily used in Volpure, a small country that was neither ally nor foe to the Republic. There are others who use the dialect, but it's one of the less common ones in the region.

We sat in silence as the waitress delivered our seafood and beers. "Cheers." Paul raised his mug and clinked it to mine.

"Stand by your glasses steady and drink to your comrade's eyes.  
Here's a toast to the dead already and hurrah for the next to die."

We recited the toast to our fallen comrades together; a tradition to remind us of those past and that if we were to die, we would not be forgotten.

"Sergeant..." I looked over at him and glanced at his cane. "I'm sorry." I was filled with guilt that he had become disabled on my watch in the Frey. The Army was his life, and without it I wondered how he was faring.

He gave me a tight smile. "Now, Master Sergeant, don't you worry about me. I'll be fine; I mean million of citizens live as civilians, I'm sure I'll manage." He pulled out a small white envelope and toyed with it in his hand. "If you don't mind doing one more thing for me..."

I smiled at him, knowing his request. "Of course." I said, taking the envelope from him.

"She's probably not even there anymore; I don't remember her unit's discharge date." He apologized.

"Rum Paul." I held his hand. "If I see Belle, I'll make sure she gets this letter. If I don't, I'll guard it with my life until I bring it home to you." We finished up our meal, which Rum paid for, and walked outside together.

"Master Sergeant, stay safe and watch your back. I won't be there this time to save your ass." He joked.

"Thanks, Sergeant Gold. I don't know what any of this means." I gestured to the USB drive in my pocket. "But at least I know things aren't entirely as they seem."

"They never are, my dear; they never are."

I drove down the highway, looking for a deserted area that I could safely view the USB drive that was tucked in my pocket. I found a spot under a tree by the river and, looking around to make sure I was alone, I turned on the netbook. The USB drive appeared as soon as I plugged it into the socket. Rum had created an organized index for the hundreds of pages of information he had curried from Mills Vestments' server. I quickly read through each one, looking specifically for Regina Mills' name. It appeared numerous times, but never, it seemed in relation to any transaction with PPI. I had looked over Mills Vestments' website the night before, so the photos that appeared from there were familiar to me. I did find the one that tipped Sergeant Gold off about Sidney Glass. One photo showing Regina hobnobbing with some other businessmen, Mr. Glass' face showed in the background. I'm not sure how Rum picked that up and remembered it when he saw Sidney the next day, cause I sure didn't see it till now.

I carefully tucked the USB drive away in my backpack. I ran the program that Rum had instructed that wiped clean directory of the netbook. I decided to take the netbook with me to the Frey, at least I could use it to email Henry. I made room in my backpack for the small computer and zipped the pack closed before heading towards Kelly's house. It only took a moment to give her the copy of my orders; she wasn't Next of Kin officially, but she was the closest thing I had. She gave me a quick hug and wished me safety in the Frey.

My team and I reconvened at 1400 in the meeting room; Captain Forrest was nowhere to be seen, so we chatted while we waited for our superior officer. Another ten minutes had passed before he walked into the room. We stood at attention and saluted because he didn't come alone, Major Vic Morrow accompanied the Captain. Major Morrow was a large man, about six-foot four and bald. His uniform bore the insignia of the Intelligence Branch of the Army.

"At ease." The Major instructed us and we went into a parade rest stance. "Have a seat." He gestured to our hard plastic chairs. "You, too, Captain Forrest." The Captain left his side and sat across the row from the rest of us.

The Major set his briefcase on the desk and turned the dials to unlock the combination locks. He opened the black leather case and pulled out six thick envelopes; each was stamped Secret across the front and across the seal to the flap. He handed one to each of us and had us sign our names and date that we had received it. "As you are all aware, the Freylache region has been involved in increased heavy warfare these past few months; It continues to deteriorate as we speak." He looked directly at us. "It is not place, nor yours, to question orders; _officially_, your primary objective is the safety of the civilian, Ms. Regina Mills. However, you also have a secondary mission of which the civilian must remain unaware."

Great. I thought. Now I'm a spy as well as a babysitter. I was trained from the beginning of my career to be in the Infantry. I went in classified as an 11X, meaning that the specific job I would be trained in was unknown, but that I would be trained in a specific program that combined both Basic Training with Infantry AIT. The military loves acronyms, and AIT is just a quick way to say 'advanced individual training.' It was a specialized program which guaranteed a job in the infantry field, which is what mattered most to me; but the final decision of my assignment was based on 'the needs of the Army'. I wish I could say that I enlisted in the Army of my own free will. I mean, I did get a choice; it was Army or eventually go to prison.

When I was a senior in my alternative high school, the recruiters came to our campus and invited about twelve of us to join a two-week mini-training. If we agreed, our juvenile record would be cleared; and if we chose to join enlist in the Army once we graduated and were eighteen, we would be given a signing bonus of three thousand dollars. All twelve of us decided to do the mini-camp; nine dropped out, three of us made it through the two-week training. Those two weeks changed my life; I had been destined for a life of petty crime, but now there was a real chance to change the track my life was on. In two weeks I felt like my life mattered, that I could make a difference in the world. I signed up the same day I graduated from school; I had already turned eighteen, so I was good to go. I got the three thousand dollar bonus, plus an extra two thousand dollars for choosing the 11x job. I found out later that the reason they pushed me into Infantry was that I was an orphan; no parents, grandparents, or siblings. I was a perfect fit as a disposable soldier. Only I wasn't willing to be disposable; but now, eleven years later I was being sent back in the warzone for 'the needs of the Army'. Babysitter, soldier and spy, that was my new MO.

"You have all been given interim clearance for the information included within these envelopes." We opened up the envelopes, tearing apart the bold red Secret stamp to expose the classified information. The military uses three levels of classified information; Top Secret was the highest level of classification of material on a national level. Such material would cause "exceptionally grave damage" to national security if made publicly available.

Secret was the next step down, a level that none of my team had ever been cleared for until today. Secret information was material would cause "serious damage" to national security if it were publicly available. Whatever was in these envelopes were damned important; and to be trusted with it was a great classification included material would cause "damage" or have "an undesirable effect" to national security if publicly available. Only three times in my eleven year career had I been cleared to view such documents. I blew out a breath before letting the packet of papers slide out of the envelope and onto the table._ Oh shit._

Lying before me was an organized ensemble of photos, newspaper articles and memos similar to the anonymous packet I had received at my house yesterday morning. Each copy, unlike the ones in my car, was stamped in red with either confidential or secret. I flipped through the information to find that this packet was more comprehensive than my illegal one; it contained texts of wiretapped phone calls and records of financial and bank statements from Mills Vestments, Inc. There were similar statements from two other companies, but the names of the companies had been redacted in thick black blocks. I quickly looked at the forms from the backside, but the wording was impossible to read under the heavy black ink.

"Major, sir." I stood at attention until turned to me.

"Master Sergeant Swan?" He looked directly at me as I tried to focus beyond the roaring in my ears. All of my team and the Captain looked at me in surprise.

"Sir, I request a moment of your time, in private." My mouth was dry, making it hard to say the words.

"This way, Master Sergeant." He gruffly responded before he walked briskly out of the room and I raced to follow. We rounded the corner down the hallway and he slid his passcard at a door and punched in a code. The lock clicked and he pushed the handle to open the door. He held the door for me to enter before closing the door and locking it behind him. "Request permitted."

"Sir..." I didn't know where to start or how much trouble I was in, but I had to tell him the truth. "I received a similar package yesterday morning at my home. The pictures, memos; a lot of it's the same."

His expression hardened as I spoke. "And where is this envelope now?"

"In my car, in the LC parking lot." I could hear the quiver in my voice and I hated it. "One more thing, sir. I contacted a former member of my team and asked him to look into it."

"Who?" He looked at me incredulously and I realized my stupidity as well as the danger I had just put Rum in.

"Sergeant Paul Gold. He was placed on permanent disability from his injuries in the Frey." I hesitated before divulging the last of my information. "He and I had lunch together today; He discovered some things that you might find interesting, Sir."

"And this information is?" He ordered.

"Also in my vehicle, Sir." I admitted.

"Then, soldier, let's you and I take a walk." He escorted me to my car where we were met by two other soldiers, each with the Intelligence Branch insignia on their BDUs. 'Sergeant, please pass over the information you have received to me."

I reached in and brought my backpack out into the open. Unzipping it, I found the mysterious envelope from yesterday, as well as the USB drive. I handed them both to him.

"Who sent you this envelope?"

"I have no idea, Sir. It was dropped through my mail slot, where I found it in my house yesterday morning.

"Is there anything else that you are aware you are in possession of regarding this incident?" He looked down at me with his keen hazel eyes.

"No, Sir. That is all." _Oh crap._ "Actually, Sir, there is one more thing, but I was hoping to take it to the Frey with me." I begrudgingly handed him the netbook that Sergeant Gold had given to me.

Major Morrow turned it over in his hands. "Master Sergeant, my team will remove the hard drive from this computer and replace it with another. It will be returned to you before you depart for Camp Azor." He promised. With a nod, he dismissed the two soldiers, who took the articles with them. "Now, Master Sergeant, let's get back with the team and continue, shall we?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

**Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)**

**Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.**

**A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.**

**Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.**

Chapter Seven

My son Henry is a black and white kinda kid; things are either right or they're wrong, good or evil, enemy or friend. But, real life doesn't always work that way and most of us function within the subtle shades of gray. I mean, is it really wrong to spare your friend's feelings by telling her that her dress doesn't make her butt look big? These thoughts flitted through my mind as I listened to the Major talk to my team.

The more details Major Morrow gave us that afternoon about our secondary mission, the more concerns I had that, inadvertently, I had placed Sergeant Gold in trouble. Even though he was injured and not able to perform his duties, he was still enlisted in the Army and subject to its rules. And, if what the Major was saying, could Henry be at risk? It was one thing for me to be put in harm's way for the good of the Republic, it was quite another to expect my young son to do the same; at eighteen he would probably be drafted into the Army anyhow, but that was years from now and right now...right now, he was just an innocent kid.

"Any questions?" The Major looked at each of us as we closed the report. Any questions? Only a million, but none that he had answers to.

"One last thing to consider, Sergeants." He paused, as if he wondered if he should say it; but then he did. "Regina Mills may very well be behind this entire charade, but she may also be completely innocent; keep that in mind as you spend the next two months with her. Be careful in the Frey and come home safely."

I sighed as I looked at the clock. 16:30, time to go. I steeled my nerves, hoping to show confidence to my team and to my Captain. I stood and grabbed my backpack. "Alright, let's roll." My team nodded and followed suit. We walked as a team to air-hangar seven, one of twelve metal buildings used to house planes, helicopters and supplies. Only hangar seven was used for transportation to Freylache. We arrived early and made ourselves comfortable in the designated waiting lounge. It was similar to what I had seen at civilian airports; rows of padded metal chairs that were bolted to the linoleum floor. A coffee maker that had burnt offerings in the bottom of the pot sat next to a vending machine that offered soldiers their last taste of the Republic candies. I took advantage of the down time to call Henry and say one last goodbye. I kept it short, mostly because I was close to tears at hearing his voice; but also because I heard a familiar cadence on the floor. Regina.

And Sidney, which was a surprise; I had thought that only those of us who were taking the trip would actually be inside the waiting area of the hangar. Maybe Ms. Hoity-toity didn't think that the rules applied to her. I glanced in her direction. At least she dressed sensibly. I barely had time to register that thought when my team snapped to attention; instinctively, I did the same.

"General, you didn't have to see me off." Regina smiled at the officer as he approached her.

"At ease, soldiers." He then looked at Ms. Mills. "Of course I did; what kind of Godfather would I be if I didn't come to see you off?" He wrapped his arms around her as she hugged him. "Your parents would never forgive me if I just let you go off to Freylache without a goodbye."

She smiled as she took a small step back. "Well, consider your obligation met." Regina teased.

"Ah, looks like your ride is here." The General gestured to the tarmac.

I was expecting a typical Army plane to approach from the landing strip. Instead there was a private jet with the Mills Vestments logo on the tail. Sidney stepped forward and spoke to Regina. "I'll go make sure everything is set, Ms. Mills."

"Thank you, Sidney." She nodded as he half-bowed to her and walked towards the tarmac.

"So..." The General sat down and patted the chair next to him. Regina sat and I signaled for the rest of my team to do the same. It was obvious that we weren't going anywhere until Sidney returned and until the General dismissed our team. I couldn't sit still; maybe it was nerves, maybe it was just adrenaline, but I went out of the waiting lounge and paced in the hangar.

'Master Sergeant?" I heard Blanchard's gentle voice call out to me in the large building.

"Over here." I answered back and waved as she turned the corner and spotted me.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Her face showed nothing but concern for me.

"Yeah, fine." I lied; she waited. "Okay maybe not fine." I conceded. "I'm just a little wound up." I crossed my hands over my body and rubbed my forearms.

"Anything you want to talk about? Are you sleeping alright or do you still have the dreams?" Her deep brown eyes were kind and I noticed she was rubbing slow, small circles on my back. "You know I'll be bunking right next to you, right?" She tried to reassure me. It was working.

"Yeah, I'm gonna hold you to that." I tried to laugh, but it came out more of a bark. I could feel myself nearly cry, so I squeezed my eyes shut hard and willed the tears to go away.

"I've got your back, Emma; we all do." She waited until I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Then I guess we better get back to our team." I took off my uniform beret and ran my fingers through my unruly hair. Sergeant Blanchard handed me a hair-tie, so I quickly pulled my blond hair back into a ponytail and gave her a grateful smile.

When we walked back into the lounge, the General just gave us a quick glance before returning his attention to Regina. Sidney had returned, and, standing in the doorway gave Ms. Mills a sharp nod. "Looks like you're all ready then, Regina." He handed her a small envelope; she studied it before putting it in her briefcase.

"Thank you, George...for everything." She gave him a quick hug before gathering her coat and two small bags. As Sidney hefted a large bag for her, the General walked over to my team. Without a word he handed me a sealed box before addressing us.

"Sergeants, good luck out there; keep her safe, it would be real shame if something happened to her while she was under your watch." He looked directly at me when he said the last part. I may not have business smarts, but I understood the veiled threat; my career was the military and if anything happened out there, I could kiss my career goodbye. My heart thumped with each click of his polished boots on the hard floor as he exited the building.

"Now I could get used to this." Sergeant Graham grinned as he looked around the inside of the private jet. Instead of a typical grey military cargo plane, this was like a flying office, or apartment, or...something.

"Welcome aboard." The flight blonde flight attendant greeted us. "Ms. Mills, welcome back; is there anything I can get you before we depart?" She followed Regina to her chair.

"My usual please, Ella." Regina sat her briefcase on the maple meeting table.

"Right away, Ms. Mills." She looked at Sidney as he sat in the chair across from Regina. "And for you Mr. Glass."

"A glass of Chardonnay." He ordered before he turned his attention to Regina; she had pulled out a file folder from her briefcase and began reviewing it with him.

I looked around the cabin, trying to decide where to sit. Regina and Sidney shared a table, there was another meeting table with four oversize chairs around it. Graham had found a single chair by a window and was comfortably reclined; I swear that man could sleep anywhere when he is off-duty. Nolan and Blanchard had found two seats side-by-side near the rear of the cabin. Their friendship was turning into something more, that much I knew; on-duty we were like family, but off-duty the two of them often stuck to themselves. I never had to worry that they would cross the line, especially on this tour. They were both professional soldiers who knew how to follow orders and how to toe the line. But seeing them like that, together, even in camouflage uniforms, they were...I don't know, _charming_ was the only word I could think of.

I finally settled on a single seat near the mid-cabin. It had a view out the window and I could see the sun was starting to set over the mountains west of the base. But, more importantly, the chair swiveled, so I could observe the entire cabin. After take-off, supper and drinks were served; I figured we would just get a can of soda and some peanuts. Boy, was I wrong. I had the choice between Organic chicken with herbs or the Steak and ribs entrée; much better than plain old peanuts and honestly better than most food I've ever eaten.

With Graham nearly asleep and the other two relaxing, I assign myself 'watch duty' for the next six hours. We would switch planes at Mingus AFB, located in an allied country near Freylache; only military planes were permitted in the airspace beyond that point. _Then_, I promised myself, I could sleep.

The main lights of the cabin dimmed, leaving just the faint ambient lighting for us to find our way to the bathroom or to Elle. I gave a small chuckle as I looked around and saw just how out-of-place we looked; soldiers in camo sitting among the colors of mauve, navy and grey in a luxury plane that screamed "our company has more money than you can ever dream of having." The only person who looked like she belonged was Regina.

The small light by her table was still lit; she tucked her silky dark hair behind her ear as she studied the stack of papers on the table. I would watch as she occasionally frowned and then scribbled a note on the top sheet. Or she would nod imperceptibly and move on. As the hours quietly passed and all of my team, and Sidney Glass, had long since fallen asleep, only she and I remained awake.

I watched as she took a break from the mound of paperwork, pressing her thumb and finger against the bridge of her nose to relieve a headache; Ella noticed too and brought her a glass of ice water and an apple. As she blew out a breath, I saw her lower her guard; here twenty-thousand feet in the air with a cabin of sleeping soldiers, I saw the weariness enter her eyes. Then anger, followed quickly by fear. She watched out the window into the darkness of the sky; and while she watched the crescent moon, I guarded her.

In those quiet hours, twenty-thousand feet in the air, I felt myself change. Gone was the mother who worried if her son would be alright; he would, Kelly would make sure of it. Gone was the confusion and anger of being sent on a babysitting mission with a civilian that might or might not involved in criminal activities. Gone was the concerns of paying my cable bill, choosing the right dress for a date, wearing makeup...

I locked my life in the Republic up tightly in my heart; it was my home, but so was the Frey. I watched the brunette across from me; this time she caught me looking and gave me a ghost of a smile before she turned away. Everything became clear to me in that moment; I had one job, and that was to keep my team safe. And at that moment, Regina Mills became one of us.

"Can't sleep, Master Sergeant?" She softly asked in the darkness.

Would my answer sound stupid to her? Probably, but it didn't matter. "I'm on watch duty, ma'am."

As she looked around the cabin and noticed everyone else sleeping, I waited for her to give me a smart ass remark. To my surprise, she just said "Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Eight

I checked my watch again. Only thirty minutes till we land. I looked over at Regina; she was finally asleep, though she hadn't bothered to recline her seat and lie flat like everyone else had. Her head resting against the small pillow that Ella had tucked between Regina's head and the wall. I smiled, remembering that Ms. Mills barely woke when the flight attendant adjusted the pillow. She must be exhausted. But, exhausted or not, I had to wake her and break the news to her.

"Ma'am." I crouched beside her chair and lightly tapped her arm. She stirred, but then sighed and fell back asleep. "Ms. Mills, I'm sorry to wake you." And I really was; but my job was to protect her so I needed her coöperation before we landed at Mingus AFB. This time I shook her shoulder and she woke, bolting upright with a frantic look on her face.

"Regina, it's me, Master Sergeant Swan." Her eyes focused and she looked at me, blinking. She nodded her head as she finally realized where she was.

"Master Sergeant, what do you need?" She tried to sound bossy, but her mussed hair and wrinkled shirt ruined it for her.

"I need you to follow me, ma'am."

"Is everything okay?" There was concern in her voice.

"Everything is fine, ma'am; you just need to do something before we land." I assured her as I grabbed a small duffel bag.

She followed me back, and as we walked I tapped my teams legs to wake them, too. "Time to wake up." I told them. They all nodded and began to move.

Regina followed me to the rear of the plane, where, having inspected the layout earlier, I knew there was a private room. " Congratulations, you're officially a provisional member of the Army. I need you to change into this so you'll blend in with the team." I handed her the duffel bag and opened the door for her to enter.

"Is this really necessary?" She undid the snaps on the bag to find a set of BDU camos, a pair of black leather hiking boots, thick black socks and a blue woolen beret with the Army insignia embroidered on the front.

"Yes ma'am I'm afraid it is; first rule of the Frey is don't stick out. Even at Mingus Air Force Base and on the plane, I'd rather the other soldiers not realize that you're a civilian. Wearing the battle dress uniform will help you blend in."

She took a deep breath and blew it out before nodding. "Fine, I'll be right out." She frowned.

"And I'll be right here." I pointed to my post outside of the doorway.

It only took her a few minutes to change, and even I was impressed with the transition. She managed to make the BDU's look good, something I never could do. Her hair was tied back and tucked under the beret and I noticed that she had even removed her makeup. Unless someone looked really closely, they would never guess she wasn't part of the Army. She withstood my scrutiny for only a moment before asking. "Well, does it pass your inspection." Her tone was cheeky, but I let it slide.

"Just a couple more things." I had already removed the patches from the bag that I'd given her. Now I took each one and placed it correctly on her uniform. First was her last name MILLS embroidered on a rectangular patch. I pressed that against the velcro over her right shirt pocket, a similar one that said REPUBLIC ARMY over her left breast. She pulled back until she realized that I wasn't copping a feel. Next was the flag of the Republic, which velcroed on her right arm and a few common insignia patches for an added touch.

"Second rule of the Frey." I spoke softly as I added the patches. "Is never salute; it makes the officer if the enemy is watching." She gave a quick nod that she understood.

I wasn't sure what rank she would be assigned; even if it was pro tempore, it was still an official rank and title. To my delight, she was ranked an E-4/Specialist; well below my rank of E-8/Master Sergeant. Hey, I take my victories where I can get them. I put the small square with black embroidering on the l velcro patch at the front of her shirt. "There, Specialist Mills." I said as I handed her a set of dogtags. "Now you won't draw attention."

She dangled the dogtags out in front of her with a 'are you serious' look on her face. I smiled and shrugged. "What can I say, it's part of the uniform."

She glared at me, but still put the tags on and tucked them under her shirt. "Becoming a member of the Army wasn't part of the deal." She snapped at me.

"The orders for your temporary placement came from General King himself, ma'am; we're all just trying to keep you safe." I met her eyes and held the glare.

She held the glare, too, a vein in her forehead pulsed. "Then you best make sure you do your job, Master Sergeant." She swiftly turned and strode away.

When we arrived at Mingus AFB it was still pitch black outside, but, lit up on the tarmac were the huge airplanes I had expected; our plane seemed like a small bug in comparison to the cargo planes. We gathered our stuff together and, I admit, I took a little longer than I should have, but I wanted to hear the conversation that Regina was having with Sidney.

It was interesting watching her in uniform; she carried herself like an officer, something we would have to work on immediately. If an enlisted soldier seemed too full of themselves, the officers were more than happy to put them in their place. That wasn't something I could see her dealing well with.

Their conversation was mostly related to Mills Vestments; documents that needed additional signatures, check requests that were approved for processing...boring business stuff. But every once in awhile they would lower their voices and I had to strain harder to hear the words.

"This envelope goes straight to my Mother, make sure you don't give it to anyone else Mr. Glass." Regina handed the man a sealed envelope, before taking it back and adding her signature over the flap to ensure it wasn't opened prematurely.

_Learned that one from the Army_. I decided.

I finally ran out of excuses to stay on board and excused myself as I left the plane. "Ms. Mills, Staff Sergeant Nolan will be at the bottom of the ramp to escort you to the terminal." I added before I went through the doorway.

"Master Sergeant." She called me back. "Would you be so kind as to carry my larger duffel bag?"

I debated before picking the bag up and adding it to my own. She cooperated and is wearing the uniform, the least I could do was bring her bag off the plane.

I watched as she descended the airplane's ramp and met up with Nolan. He picked up her duffel and carried it to the terminal. As they walked towards the building, I doubled back and went onto the smaller jet. I poked my head in, just in time to catch Sidney smiling as he read the pages from the sealed envelope. He startled when he saw me and, losing the smirk, slid them back into the folder.

"Whoops." I gave him my most sincere grin. "Thought I forgot my sunglasses. Guess I must have packed them." I hastily stepped down the ramp and walked to join my team. Damn, I wanted to know what was in that envelope.

The terminal was filled with hundreds of soldiers; many wore the BDU uniform of the Republic, but on the long walk to find our correct gate, I spotted groups of soldiers from allied troops, too.

Mingus AFB is the hub of all traffic going into and out of Freylache; today was a slow day at the terminal, we even managed to all find seats when we arrived at gate B54. I checked the departure flight board and saw that we had a two-hour wait until we would board the plane. We had lost four hours in time changes during the flight, so it was now nearly 0500 hours. "Okay, if any of you want to grab some food or use the facilities, now is the time. I'll stay and watch the bags." I instructed. "Sergeant Blanchard, you are responsible for escorting Specialist Mills and remaining with her until we board the plane. We'll meet back here and regroup at 0630."

I decided to take a few minutes to check if my netbook was, as the Major had promised, functioning and intact. I opened the box to find the netbook encased in plastic, the official Army emblem on the seal. A letter was on top of it, so I took it and opened it. It was a handwritten letter from Major Morrow.

_Master Sergeant Swan,_

_As promised, here is your netbook. I recommend leaving it in the sealed package until you have cleared inspection at Camp Azor. It will make it faster and easier for you as Security won't unseal it. I also took the liberty to add a wireless mouse and keyboard for your convenience._

_You did the right thing._

_Major Vic Morrow_

_Army of the Republic_

'_Odd_' was the first word that came to mind when I read the letter. I reread it a couple more times before deciding that I was wasting too much energy trying to figure out why he did it. I pulled the netbook and accessories out of the box and stuffed them into my smaller duffel bag.

Graham and Nolan came and sat next to me. They each had a medium-sized pizza and a bottle of soda. Nolan handed me a bottle, too. "We figured you'd be hungry, so we brought pizza to share." He offered with a dimpled smile.

The smell of pizza made me realize that I was famished, so I returned the smile and said "Thanks guys."

We sat in comfortable silence as we savored the food. Around us was a vortex of motion as squadrons of troops moved en masse to their gate destinations. I watched the soldiers, trying to guess who was going to the Frey, and who was heading home. I kinda felt bad for the ones that were obviously on their first tour to the warzone. I could spot them a mile away with their freshly shaven heads, shiny new boots, and brand new duffel bags with their names neatly stenciled on the side.

Most were Privates, just out of basic training and tech school; or Second Lieutenants, newly graduated from Officer School. They were either loud as they strutted around the airport, with cocky attitudes and cool confidence. Or they were silent with a dazed look of terror etched on their faces. Their duffel bags were crammed full of stuff they thought they would need, but would never use; and without the items that they would give a million dollars to have, but didn't.

Everything in this trip was new to them. It would be their first ride in a massive cargo plane that would seat three hundred soldiers and carried trucks and tanks in it's belly. They took for granted the multiple fast food restaurants at the airport, not realizing that only Army food awaited them at Camp Azor or another post in the Frey. I wondered how many would go back to the Republic in flag-draped, wooden boxes; but stopped myself from going down that morbid road because the truth was, too many of them would.

Those of us who had seen the Frey before were easy to spot, too. We had BDU's that were neat, but well worn. Our boots were shined, but still had deep creases from miles of walking across barren stretches of land. We were the more relaxed ones with our well packed and well worn duffel bags under our feet. Knowing that this pizza would be the last decent food we would see in months, we ate it slowly, enjoying each bite. We waited patiently in our seats, waiting for our plane to take us back to that familiar area. The journey was not new to us and we were resigned to return once again to the front lines. Too many of us wouldn't make it back alive, either, but the odds were better in our favor.

Blanchard and Mills returned at 0615 to join our group; Regina looked irritated and Blanchard looked like she was at her wit's end. Let them deal with it. I told myself. I took opportunity to go for a small walk and stretch my legs. A trip to the restroom was a must; the two-hour trip on the cargo plane was like being a sardine, packed in tightly and nowhere to go. I did some basic stretching as I willed my body to loosen up and relax. at 0630 we regrouped and moved towards the departure gate door.


	9. Chapter 9

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

**Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)**

**Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.**

**A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.**

**Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.**

Chapter Nine

"Swan, time to wake up." Staff Sergeant Nolan tapped my shoulder. I came to immediately, and realized that we were preparing to land at Riendahl Airport, twenty miles from Camp Azor. The plane had no windows, so I didn't know if it was light or dark outside.

We banked hard to the right and started our steep descent. "Hang on." I called. Somewhere, behind us, a soldier threw up. I looked over at Ms. Mills to find she was pale, but still h holding her own.

The landing was rough; a hard bounce when the tires hit the pavement, followed by the plane braking so hard we were all thrust forward in our seats. Finally we stopped and I let out my breath. I asked during my first trip to the Frey if that was a normal landing. They assured me it was; once they started their descent the plane was a big target until we landed. Coupled with a short runway, it made for a memorable trip every time.

Once the plane has landed, it rolled for about fifteen minutes to get off the runway and taxi over to the outside loading area. Disembarkation was an orderly event; even Ms. Mills didn't expect someone to carry her bag. She just picked it up and carried it off the plane.

As soon as I stepped through the doorway and onto the ladder, the essence of the Frey hit me. The scent, sights and feelings overwhelmed me momentarily as I took a second to look out in the early morning light and take it all in. It was still fairly cool outside; Freylache in late fall was part of the dry season, temperatures were comfortable during the day, but they plunged below freezing most nights. Especially up at Camp Azor, which was situated close to the base of the rugged Riendahl Mountains.

We carried our bags and proceeded out the door to the awaiting buses on the tarmac. My team instinctively formed a circle around Ms. Mills, I took up her right rear flank with Graham, a southpaw, to my left and Blanchard and Nolan in front. Whether she noticed or not, she didn't say.

The buses reminded me of the yellow ones I used to take to school, but these were painted a lovely camo color and the bus driver was armed with an assault rifle. We followed the signs that pointed to buses for Camp Azor; most soldiers came the same direction, but some troops headed off to go to the smaller bases in the Frey. We each sat one to a seat, using our duffel bags next to the windows as additional protection.

As the bus exited the heavily reinforced gates, complete with concrete barriers and heavy barbed wire, I listened while Graham turned to Regina and talked about the ride. His soft accent was soothing to listen too; a stark contrast to the words of his guided tour.

"They used to call this stretch the Miracle Mile." He told her. "Because it used to be a miracle if you survived it. Now its called Freedom Road." Our bus hit a pothole, sending all of us airborne for a moment. It was obvious to me that the bus was in dire need of new shock absorbers.

She looked around at the armed soldiers, tanks, and multiple types of barricades that lined the road, protecting us. "It doesn't look exactly_ free_."

He gave a soft laugh. "Well, _officially_ it's called Highway Nineteen, seeing as it's nineteen miles to Camp Azor." He gave her a charming smile. "It's the most important stretch of road in the Frey."

"It's the only road in the Frey." I mumbled as the bus swerved to miss another pothole that would have swallowed the whole vehicle.

"That may be true, Master Sergeant." He laughed. "But it's still the most important." We had joined a long convoy of trucks, tanks and buses; the other side of the road heading towards the airport was just as packed.

"You see..." He continued in his accented voice. "This road is the lifeline of the Republic; soldiers, food, ammunition, medical supplies, everything actually, has to come to Camp Azor from the Republic...and Highway Nineteen is the only route that goes there."

I looked ahead to see why we had stopped; military police were doing a checkpoint, making sure all vehicles were supposed to be going to Azor. I sighed and leaned back on the hard seat. Major Morrow had said that the Frey was in more upheaval than it was when I left it five months ago; looking around I could see what he meant. Highway Nineteen was more heavily protected than before; the barricades and armed soldiers had been joined by tanks as well as soldiers with grenade launchers. They were serious about keeping this dirt packed road to Azor safe, but just beyond the barricades and barbed wires I could see that most of the small towns had been destroyed. Houses that were, and I'm generous when I say this, tiny tin shacks, now laid in strewn wreckage on the land. In the past, you could often find a shepherd guiding a small flock of sheep or goats along the highway's shoulder, but now there were no civilians to be seen.

We passed the checkpoint only to travel ten minutes to another one, followed by another; the trip to Camp Azor was long and tedious, but we finally arrived at the West Gate of the base. The MP waved our bus through and we followed the gravel road to the Welcome Center for in-processing it was a large bunker style building that was like a maze inside; you entered the front doors that were made of reinforced metal and followed the winding path that lead you to the different stations for in-processing

My team and I headed first to the Lodging Desk; there we showed our Orders to the clerk and he pulled up our paperwork with our housing information. "Master Sergeant, here are your team's housing assignments. I see Ms. Regina Mills has VIP housing, do you know where that is located?" He asked without any inflection in his tone.

"Yes, I know where to find it." I nodded as he handed me her housing information. I passed out Blanchards, Nolans and Grahams to them, as well as the laundry requisition form. I kept mine and Regina's, knowing that I would be the one to fill them both out.

We shuffled next to the Food Service table where again I showed our paperwork and they handed us our meal cards; similar to a credit card, it had the magnetic strip on back to scan our purchases. As long as you ate in the mess hall it was a free, but if you chose to eat at one of the private businesses on base it ate into your allotted meal budget. It was a treat that I indulged in occasionally, but they charged an exorbitant price, so you couldn't afford it very often. But, when you just needed a burger or pizza from a food chain at home, you could get Burger Queen or Pizza Shack on base.

Food and Housing settled, we moved on to the Armory; this section took up the majority of the building. I handed the clerk our Orders and she handed each of us a completed requisition form that we carried into the secured room. I read my form over, happy that I would be issued both a M-9 pistol and a M-4 rifle; this assignment was so different from our usual combat routine that I wasn't sure what we would be issued. I looked over the rest of my team's forms. Usually Nolan, as our Grenadier, would be issued a grenade launcher, but not this trip; he was issued an M-9 and an M-4, but he also was issued various hand grenades which could come in handy if we got into a tight spot. Not surprisingly, Ms. Mills only issued a standard combat knife. _Cause she'd get pissed and shoot me if she had a gun_. I smirked as I noted her disappointed look.

We all took our weapons and ammunition to the next station in the maze. Laundry- if it could be washed, it was requisitioned here. Sheets, pillowcases, BDU uniforms, socks, jackets and hats. We had filled out our forms while we stood in the line, so it was a quick and efficient station as the clerk took our requisitions form, disappeared momentarily, then returned with a laundry bag full of items. We took the bag and moved on to last station.

Here we each picked up one pillow each, walkie-talkies, gloves, kneepads, night vision and infrared goggles, as well as our pistol straps and ammunition belts. We looked like overloaded horses when we carried everything out the exit. Like many of the other soldiers who were outside, we sat everything down and organized our gear for transporting to our sleeping quarters. Even Ms. Mills was laden down with a large load of goods; she handled it better than I thought she would. I assumed she was a princess, but I had to give her credit that she pulled her own weight this far.

Nolan and Graham split off from us and headed towards the Men's barracks: Blanchard, Mills and I went to the Women's barracks, where I dropped my gear onto a free bunk next to Mary Margaret and left her to organize her stuff and to keep an eye on mine until I returned. As an afterthought, I grabbed my helmet, M-9 and my flak jacket. I also grabbed the packet of documents we would need for our next meeting.

I led Regina off to the VIP area; it was a line of smaller units that housed one or two people per unit. As we started to walk, I took the majority of her gear and carried it VIP housing. "The housing is pretty sparse." I tried to prepare her for what lied ahead. "Well, here we go." I cringed as I realized just how primitive her dwelling was.

To call it VIP housing implied Regina would be in a house, but it was just a wooden framed shelter with canvas sides that were nailed to a wooden deck. To add just an element of stylish protection, each unit was surrounded on all four sides by concrete barricades that were six feet high. There was a two foot gap along the front entry that allowed access to the house. I entered the dwelling to inspect it; as her assigned bodyguard I was just doing my job to make sure her housing was secure. It also helped me to memorize the layout of the small structure in case I had to enter in an emergency.

"It's secure, ma'am." I opened the door, at least that was a real wooden doorway. From the expression on her face I knew I had a battle on my hands.

"Is this some kind of joke Ms. Swan?" Her eyes were darker than usual and the vein in her forehead was pulsing. _ Shit._

"Ma'am, I assure you the Army doesn't play practical jokes." I knew this was going to go downhill fast.

"I want to see the General." She demanded.

"We have a conference with a Commissioned Officer in thirty minutes, you can take it up with the Lieutenant then" Okay, so I was passing the buck, but I didn't have any pull on base, let alone enough to just walk her up the commanding officer in charge. I only hoped that our Lieutenant, who would be our liaison while we were in the Frey, wouldn't cower and cave into Ms. Mills demands. If they showed her any weakness I'm sure she'd go in for the kill.

"Fine, then take me to him." She meant now.

"Before we go ma'am, I have to make sure you're properly attired." I hated this assignment.

"This lovely camo outfit isn't sufficient now?" She snapped back.

"Not if you want to stay alive; you have to put on your flak jacket and your helmet. You might want to grab your knife, too. Always keep that with you." I quickly added. "Hey, it's your chance to show off Mill's Vestments." I gave her a weak smile. She was not amused, but she did go inside and reemerge with her helmet and flak jacket on.

We walked through the camp, back to the large canvas tent that served as soldier barracks. "Come on in." I invited Regina before I stepped inside. There were twenty cots set up in two lines of ten. Blanchard was the second cot from the door; her bunk was made with the sheets and thin wool blanket that they provided, and her duffel bag was set neatly at the bottom of her bunk. My bunk was the third one in and it too was neatly made. "Thank you, Sergeant." I smiled gratefully at Blanchard.

"My pleasure, Master Sergeant." Her brown eyes twinkled as she smiled at me. "Time for the meeting?" She stood when I nodded and put on her flak jacket and helmet. She also strapped the M-9 holder on her right leg and put the gun safely inside of the holster. I grabbed mine from my bag and did the same. We both loaded our M-16s and carried them with us as we moved with Mills towards HQ. The entire time since we left her VIP housing, Regina hadn't spoken a word; it was a nice break, but I knew it meant she was just stewing in her fury. _ Let the Lieutenant deal with it._

I spied Nolan and Graham waiting for us outside the headquarters main entrance. "All set then?" Nolan asked me, even though his eyes then drifted to Blanchard and he smiled.

"Yes, Staff Sergeant; lead the way."

We checked the bulletin board, looking for our assigned meeting room. The five of us walked together, our boots heavy on the concrete floor of the metal building. We found room A5 and entered. It was empty, but we were early, so we sat and waited. Five minutes later, precisely on time, our liaison entered. All of us, except for Mills stood; Regina sat rigidly, like a panther stalking its prey.

"At ease." The Lieutenant ordered. I watched as she walked to the front of the room and sat across from us at the table. She was an average sized woman with medium toned skin and straight black hair that was knotted in a single braid. She didn't smile as she nodded at me and asked. "Company D, 23rd Battalion of the 12th Brigade?" She seemed like a very serious type of person.

I nodded. "I'm NCO Master Sergeant Emma Swan."

"My name is Lieutenant Mulan, I will be your liaison during your two month tour at Camp Azor. I understand this is..." She shuffled through a pile of paperwork before finding a thick group of papers that were clipped together. "A Protect and Escort mission for..." She read the top of the front page. "..Regina Coralina Mills." She looked at Regina. "That must be you;" She eyed the civilian closely. "And you are in an Army Specialist uniform because...?"

I jumped in to explain. "Ms. Mills was given a provisional rank for the duration of the tour. General George King issued the order." I handed her a sheet of paper with the information. She looked it over before making a note and tucking it in the stack.

"Unusual, but then again, so are the circumstances." The Lieutenant. admitted. "I have here your plans for the next seven weeks, including your schedule and destinations." My team and I had copies of the plans as well, so we were familiar with the schedule.

"Excuse me." Regina cut in. "Two things here Lieutenant; first I need to discuss my housing arrangement with General Marco, and secondly, I have the new schedule, approved by General King, to submit to you. We've added a new trip and three new destinations."

"Excuse me?" I stood and faced Regina. "You have a new agenda and didn't bother telling me until now?" I was incredulous.

She looked at me coolly. "Master Sergeant Swan, it must have slipped my mind."

Unfreakingbelievable...every ounce of trust or respect I had for the woman had just been thrown out the window. _ Fucking war pirate._ I couldn't believe that I had even trusted her at all, and to have that all thrown in my face, in front of my new Commanding Officer was both insulting and more hurtful than I would ever admit.


	10. Chapter 10

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

**Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)**

**Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.**

**A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.**

**Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.**

**Chapter Ten**

Lieutenant Mulan perused the new agenda, her face gave away nothing about her thoughts or feelings. _Great a hard-ass._ I pinched the bridge of my nose and waited. Ms. "Oh it slipped my mind" Mills sat with no readable expression on her face. Her eyes were narrowed as she watched the Lieutenant, but I couldn't tell what she was thinking. I shifted in my narrow plastic chair and wished I had a bottle of water to drink.

Without commenting on the agenda, Mulan addressed my team. "Have any of you ever served on a Protect and Escort detail before?"

Staff Sergeant Nolan gave a half-wave and nodded. "Yes ma'am, I had P&E two years ago for Colonel John Midas."

The Lieutenant gave a quick nod.. "Let me give you the run-down of how P&E works; this is different than your regular tour here in Freylache. While you are here at Camp Azor, you will each be on-duty twelve hours a day and on-call for six. You have six hours off-duty, in which I recommend you sleep, communicate with your families back home or get some recreational activity." She drew a diagram as she spoke. "Staff Sergeant, set up a schedule where your team will rotate on being the primary guard for Ms. Mills." She addressed my whole team. "When you are the primary guard you are personally responsible for her safety and protection. You will be relieved of your guard duty by another member of your team, at which point, depending on your duty status, you will continue your day."

She looked to make sure we were all following along before continuing. "On-duty means you are secondary for guard duty. If a second guard is not required for Ms. Mill's security, you may spend this time cleaning or training with your weapon, engaging in combat training, eating, patrolling the base for security, working on paperwork related to your team's responsibilities here in Freylache, or other duties as assigned by me or Master Sergeant Swan." She tilted her head in my direction.

"If you are on-call, then you use that time to complete any unfinished work. If a third guard is required for Ms. Mill's safety, then you will serve in that capacity. If you are off-duty, then that time is yours unless there is a base-wide call for all soldiers to report to their duty stations. That would only happen if the base was put on security level Defcon Charlie or Delta. Any questions?"

_Works for me_. I thought as I looked at my paperwork. I started sketching out a schedule for my team.

"Sergeant Swan and Ms. Mills, I need you to stay to hash out some details; the rest of you are dismissed. We will meet again tomorrow at 0900" My team stood but Regina remained seated.

I made a quick decision. "Staff Sergeant Nolan, you will have primary guard duty until..." I glanced at the clock. "2200 hours, wait by the door for Ms. Mills. Sergeant Blanchard, Sergeant Graham, you are both on-call and are dismissed to continue to get settled. I will brief you when my meeting is over." Blanchard and Graham looked relieved; Nolan...not so much.

Mulan waited for my team to depart before focusing on Regina.

"Ms. Mills, this team is here for _your_ safety and protection. It is not an _if_, but rather a _when_ you will depend on this team to save your life. It is critical that you never find yourself in a situation without a guard. Don't try to give them the slip or otherwise inhibit their ability to do their job. You are here at the pleasure of the Army, keep that in mind before making any decisions that would cause us to retract our offer of hospitality. Do you understand." She made a point to look directly at Regina, and maintained eye contact with her the entire time.

"Of course I understand." Regina huffed as she raised her chin. "I am not a child."

The expression on Mulan's face changed ever so slightly, but her voice remained the same firm tone and cadence. "This team is not here as your underlings or assistants. General George King has requested, and General Marco has agreed that you may have two soldiers assigned to assist you in your business related needs here on base. They both have a background in administration and will be available to you as needed during your stay here at Camp Azor. You can meet them tomorrow at 0800 hours here in this building."

"Lieutenant, I specifically requested to meet with General Marco about my housing assignment. If you even call that a house." Regina scoffed.

"Ms. Mills, you are scheduled to meet with the General at 0900 tomorrow morning. You may take it up with him at that time. Sergeant Nolan, please escort Ms. Mills outside and give her a tour of the base." David nodded and then gestured that Regina should follow him. Praise God, she did.

"Wow." Was all that Lieutenant Mulan uttered when the door finally closed behind Nolan.

"Yeah." I agreed.

"Let me get copies of this new itinerary for you and your team; I'll be right back." She took her stack of papers and walked out.

I took the break to get my bearings; I knew I was tired, hungry and pretty irritated, but I needed to get through this meeting, brief my team and catch some shut-eye before I took guard duty. It was going to be a long night.

The Lieutenant returned with paperwork and two bottles of water. "I figured you haven't had a chance to visit the Canteen or Mess Hall yet." She offered me the cold beverage and sat down across from me.

"Here is the new itinerary for your team; make an on-base schedule by tomorrow at 0800 hours and start working on the details for your trips to the other bases."

I looked at the changes in the schedule. "We're going to Volpure and Zubai? Any idea why?"

"None, but I'll inform Intelligence so they can look into it." She promised. "Ms. Mills has a meet and greet with her administrative staff tomorrow at 0800 and then a meeting with General Marco at 0900. While she's in with him I will meet with your team. You also have a meeting with Major Meacham tomorrow at 1000, so make sure you fit that into your schedule." She stood and looked at me. "Get some rest Master Sergeant, you look like you need it."

I walked out of the building and was surprised to find that it was already dark. The compound was fairly quiet, except for the sounds of distant gunfire and the buzz from the generators. Food first, then brief the team. I decided my priorities and headed towards the Mess Hall. Inside it was fairly empty; a few soldiers sat together eating and relaxing. I didn't recognize any of them, but I didn't expect to; twice a week new brigades of soldiers came and left Camp Azor, most combat units would stay for either four or six months. I figured that there wouldn't be any familiar faces from five months ago.

"Emma? Is that really you?" I turned around to see the one person I hoped was still here.

"Ruby?" My grin was so big that it made my face hurt, but damn it was great to see Corporal Hood.

"I can't believe you're back!" She squealed as she ran over and gave me a long hug. I gladly returned the embrace, suddenly feeling a whole lot better about being back in the Frey. She let me go, but held onto my hand. "Come sit down, I'll bring you something to eat." She lead me to a table in the corner and disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later she reappeared and brought me a plate of spaghetti and garlic bread.

"Ruby, you're the best." My compliment made her smile until a voice from the kitchen summoned her.

"Corporal Hood, get back here and finish these dishes."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, laughing. "Captain Lucas calls."

"She's still here, too?" That made two familiar faces.

"Yup, and I'd better run. You here for six months?" Ruby sounded hopeful.

"No, just two months this round." I looked up to see Captain Lucas standing with her hands on her hips, waiting for Ruby. "Go, before you get in trouble. I'm bunking in Barrack R7, come see me tomorrow. Blanchard's here, too."

"Awesome!" She yelled as she headed back to the kitchen. "See you tomorrow."

I finished up my supper and headed towards my barrack to find Sergeant Blanchard. I rounded her and Graham up before walking to Ms. Mills tent where Nolan would be outside on guard duty. The dim street lights were sufficient enough that we could walk around without flashlights or headlamps.

"How's it going?" I asked as the four of us gathered around. He just shrugged. "Ms. Mills, can you come join us?" I called to her.

"If I must." She stepped out of her tent and begrudgingly joined the group. I turned on my headlamp so we could all see each other better.

"It won't take long." I promised as I passed out the new itineraries to everyone. "Here's the new plan; our first trip will be in three days, so we need to start planning the security detail for the trip to Fort Keegan. Tomorrow we will meet at 0800 at HQ; While Ms. Mills is meeting with General Marco at 0900, we will meet with Lieutenant Mulan." I turned my attention to Regina. "Anything you need from my team tonight, Ms. Mills?"

The sound of mortar fire broke the silence. "Not that I'm aware of; just do your jobs and keep me safe." I couldn't help but notice the slight tremor in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am." I gave her a reassuring nod. "You'll always have at least one of us standing guard over you. If there's nothing else, then I'll just finish up my meeting with the Sergeants. Good night ma'am"

She turned and went back in her tent without saying anything.

I felt a headache starting at the back of my neck and knew that I needed to get some sleep. "Okay, here's the schedule for the next three days." I passed out the papers and gave them a moment to look them over.

"Master Sergeant." Sergeant Blanchard protested. "You don't always have to be the one on night duty."

"Thank you Sergeant, but I prefer to be, at least these first few days. It may change once we get back." I lied; I knew the only way to stave off my bad dreams was to make sure I was awake during the dark hours of night. During the day, surrounded by other soldiers who were on or off-duty, I could relax and sleep. "Plus..." I added. "This lets the three of you all sleep at night since only one guard is required. Staff Sergeant Nolan, I'm going to catch some shut eye until I relieve you at 2300. I'll stay with Ms. Mills and escort her to the meeting at 0800. Anything else?" I asked my team.

None of them needed anything, so we dispersed and I went back to my bunk to sleep. The bunk was well worn and tended to roll me to the left, but it was familiar to me, so I slept just fine. It seemed I had only been sleeping five minutes when I felt a gentle shake and a whispered "Master Sergeant, time to wake up."

I rubbed my eyes and willed them to cooperate; finally they opened and I saw Sergeant Blanchard and a cup of hot coffee. I was grateful to her, but honestly I was more focused on the steaming java. "What time is it?" I heard my voice crack.

"2230. You have 30 minutes till it's time for your guard shift." She gave me a sympathetic look.

My sleep addled brain was finally waking up. "Right." I whispered, realizing that there were soldiers asleep across from us. "Okay, thanks." I took the cup of coffee and sipped on the brew, relishing the burn that slid down my throat and warmed my belly.

I turned on my flashlight and quietly dressed, putting the body armor over my camo BDUs. I put the M-9 in the holster on my leg strap and armed myself with my M-16 and extra ammunition. Before I left the tent, I remembered my picture of Henry that he and Kelly took on his tenth birthday; I slid the photo into the pocket of my vest and, grabbing my helmet, knife and radio, I headed out the barrack door and into the darkness. I could make out the sounds of distant mortar and cannon fire and wondered if they planned to keep it up all night.

The chill of night had started to permeate the ground and a light frost could be seen on the grass. During the daytime, it was comfortable, but once the sun set, the Frey became downright cold. I put my gloves and helmet on, hoping that they would help keep me warm during my shift.

"Master Sergeant Swan reporting for duty." I quietly announced myself to Staff Sergeant Nolan as he stood in the small gap in the barriers around her tent. "Anything to report?"

"Good evening, Master Sergeant. She's finally asleep." He stepped out of the space and I took his place. "Nothing unusual to report."

"Then I have the watch. Good night Nolan. See you at 0800"

"You have the watch. Good night." He whispered before he walked away and disappeared in the night.

I turned off my flashlight and took a moment to get my bearings; as my eyes adjusted to the low light from the street lamps, I could finally make out the shadows of buildings that surrounded my location. I listened and heard Ms. Mills steady, rhythmic breathing as she slept. I checked my watch. 2330, it's gonna be a long night.

I mostly stood guard in the entrance area, but I checked the front and side perimeters every half an hour; as I walked, I made sure to never leave the lone entrance out of my sight. I realized we were on base and nobody was around at 0200, but I felt the need to stay focused. A larger explosion boomed in the distance and I heard a sharp gasp from inside the tent.

"Who's there?" Regina's voice demanded.

"Master Sergeant Swan on guard, ma'am." I tried to reassure her.

"What was that noise?" I could hear a tinge of fear in her voice.

"Distant mortar fire; no need to be concerned." I called out over my shoulder.

"So we're safe?

"For tonight, yes we are ma'am."

There was nothing but silence from the tent until finally she answered. "Thank you."

"Good night, ma'am." I was relieved that she was willing to believe me.

"Good night Master Sergeant."

I could hear her toss and turn for a few minutes before she finally settled and went back to sleep. I continued my rounds and wondered once again why she really chose to come to the Frey.


	11. Chapter 11

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

**A/N:**** I realize the Ruby's name should be Corporal Hood instead of Corporal Redd. I've made the changes in chapter ten and will refer to her correctly in chapters to come.**

Chapter Eleven

At 0530 dawn slowly broke, bathing the mountains in pink and purple hues; the birds knew it was morning, too, even here in the warzone. I watched and listened as flocks of little orange Warbler began to fly and sing their cheerful songs. I realized that I had missed the birds of Freylache; we have birds at home, of course, but they're different than the ones here in the Frey. The mortar fire had finally stopped and I thought how even rebels needed sleep. Camp Azor slowly shifted into daytime, too. At 0600 a recording of reveille played; it's lucky it was a recording because I would have shot the bugler the first and every morning of my first tour here. I listened for motion inside of Regina's tent, but all she did was turn over and go back to sleep.

I watched the birds and thought about Henry. I wondered what he was doing right now and if he missed me. I pulled out the picture of him that I had tucked away and looked at it in the morning light. A tear threatened to fall, so I quickly kissed the photo and put it away. My thoughts turned to Staff Sergeant Paul Gold and I wondered how much trouble I had gotten him into for helping me. I wished I knew, but Major Morrow strictly forbade me from contacting Rum until things were sorted out. I worried that the Army would eliminate him for the information he possessed, but then I reminded myself that those things really only happen in stories or the movies. We were The Army of the Republic, we were the good guys; and good guys weren't supposed to do bad things.

~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~

_The cool fall day had forced him to bundle up in an overcoat and black leather gloves. He had broken a sweat during physical therapy as they forced his leg to strengthen in hopes that he would one day walk without a limp. Now, as he walked outside, his longer hair fluttered in the breeze. He touched and realized how different it felt from the usual Army haircut. He liked the long hair better, but would have gladly cut it for the chance to serve again. His leg ached as he walked to his car, forcing him to rely on his cane more than he wanted. He was almost there when his senses told him he was being followed; he slowed his gait before turning around to face four Military Police._

_"Staff Sergeant Paul Gold?" A young MP asked._

_"And if I am?" Rum answered as he wondered why they knew who he was._

_"You are ordered to come with us." _

_"What is this about?" He hoped they would give him a hint if it was a parking violation or something more vital. _

_"Staff Sergeant, we have orders to take you to Intelligence." The MP's hand tightened on his gun._

_'Not a parking ticket.' Rum decided. "Very well, lead on." He stretched out his gloved hand and pointed to the black vehicle._

_He followed them to the van and looked around before he took a breath and went through the doors. The MPs sat next to and in front of him, ensuring he had no exit from the vehicle. They drove for ten silent minutes to the far end of the Camp Brookes; the high security building loomed in front of them, giving Rum pause as the van drove into the underground parking area and stopped near a heavy steel double-door._

_"This way, Staff Sergeant." The senior ranking MP had gotten out of the van and stood near the side door of the vehicle._

_Rum was slow to exit, partly because of fear, but mostly because of his sore leg. The MP reached in to hurry him along, but he defended himself with his cane. "No need to be rude Chief Master Sergeant Booth, I just need a little time with the leg and all." The MP nodded and took a half step back._

_He followed the foursome to the building's entrance, where the Chief Master Sergeant punched in a twelve digit code on the pad next to the door. A buzz and a click sounded before the MP opened the door and they entered into a long underground hallway._

_'At least I'm not handcuffed.' Rum thought as his cane tapped on the bare concrete floor. They walked halfway down the hallway to an elevator where, once again, the MP entered a code that unlocked the lift. Wordlessly, they stepped into the elevator car and rode it to floor three._

_They exited to another windowless hallway and escorted him to room 370. Once more a code was entered and once more a door unlocked and they brought him into the small interrogation room. The room was bare, save for a table that was bolted to the floor and two metal chairs that had left grooves on the smooth concrete surface. Three of the walls were solid, including the one with the now locked door; the other wall had a large dark window which Rum surmised was a one-way mirror. He sat and calmly waited for his fate._

_He waited five minutes before the door opened and Major Morrow entered carrying a briefcase and a laptop computer. Rum stood at attention until the Major told him to take a seat._

_"Staff Sergeant Paul Gold?" Major Morrow sat across the table from Rum and booted the laptop._

_"I am." Rum admitted._

_"Your left thumb please." Morrow held out a USB scanner which Rum pressed his thumb against. It beeped and a digital photo of Rum, as well as his basic military information, showed on the laptop screen. "Good." The Major unplugged the scanner and put it back in the briefcase. "Staff Sergeant, thank you for coming in."_

_Gold gave him a grim smile. "It's not like I was given much choice in the matter, Sir."_

_"Even so..." The Major nodded. "Your cooperation is appreciated. Do you have any idea why you're here, Staff Sergeant?" The Major eyed up the lean man that sat across the table._

_"Nothing comes to mind; I assumed you would tell me." Rum's eyes met the Major's._

_"Do you recognize any of these people?" The Major laid a sheet of paper, filled with 3x5 photos of head-shots._

_Rum studied them briefly before answering. "A couple look familiar."_

_"Which ones do you recognize?" The Major watched him closely._

_"Him, her, him and him." He pointed to four of the photos._

_"And where do you know them from?" Major Morrow pressed._

_"Here and there; maybe I've seen them on the news or the internet." Rum's mind was racing with the information Emma had asked him to research. He recognized the photos of Regina Mills, Henry Mills, Sidney Glass and Mark Davidson; all employees of Mills Combat Vestments._

_"Have you been to the Mills Combat Vestments website?" The Major was impressed by Staff Sergeant Gold's ability to give only vague answers as if they were talking about something as mundane as the weather. But he was also tiring of the cat and mouse game they were playing. He needed information and he needed to know what Gold knew and how he found it out._

_"Yes, I'm sure I have at some point; I've worn their body armor so perhaps I looked on their site to decide my needs for protective gear." He pushed the photo sheet back to the Major._

_"And while you were determining your needs for protective gear...how far into their website did you explore?"_

_Gold was tiring of the cat and mouse game, too. He shifted in his seat and sat straighter as he spoke to the officer. "Major Morrow, let's not be coy, we both know why I'm here._

_I'll make a deal; you tell me exactly what it is you want to know and I'll tell you what I can."_

_Major Morrow hesitated before he pulled out a confidentiality agreement and passed it with a pen to Gold. "Very well then. Sign this form that you agree to not speak or refer to this conversation or the contents within, outside of this room or with anybody else besides myself."_

_"And what sort of deal do I get in return for my cooperation?" Gold negotiated to see if it was worth his information._

_"That depends on what you know and how you acquired it." _

_"Let's just both admit." Gold leaned forward. "That once I was put on the task, I personally was able to find out more in twenty-four hours than the official Army Intelligence Team was able to do in six months time. Can you at least give me that credit?" Rum felt his anger rising._

_Major Morrow considered the bold words of the Staff Sergeant. "Fine, that much is true. The question is how much more do you know and did you use any other sources besides yourself to acquire your information."_

_Rum took the pen and signed the confidentiality agreement. "I'll name my price once I tell you what I know. Consider it a favor you owe me. Agreed?"_

_The Major took the form and signed his name on the line. "Agreed. Now talk..." Rum was silent, waiting. Morrow cleared his voice before adding. "Please."_

_"You see, Sir, a little respect goes a long ways with me." Rum pulled out the flash drive he had made. "Master Sergeant Emma Swan was given an anonymous packet of non-redacted information. She contacted me to ask me to repay a favor I owed her; I took down the information she shared and started my own... investigation, shall we say. That chip holds all the data I procured." He handed the USB drive to the Major and sat back._

_He watched as the Major inserted the disk and opened the files. "I realize, Major, that this will take some time for you to review. Could I at least have a glass of water? I find my throat has become quite parched._

_The Major pushed a button on his computer and a voice answered. "Corporal, bring a pitcher of ice water and some fruit to room 370."_

_"Yes, sir." The voice responded before logging off._

_"They're pretty quick, so it won't be long Staff Sergeant." Morrow promised as he refocused on the information from the disk. The door opened and one of the MPs brought in a tray of fruit and the pitcher of water, as well as two plastic glasses. Gold carefully poured water into both cups and passed one to the Major. Then he sat back down and waited two hours for the Major to finish reading._

_"So..." The Major finally looked up at Gold. "You think that someone in Mills Combat Vestments owns this other company, Protective Products International, and that Mills Combat is paying PPI to take the body armor that doesn't meet the Army of the Republic's standards. Then PPI rebrands the gear with their own logo and resells it to the public? Have I got that right?" The Major made notes into his computer._

_"So far, yes." Gold agreed._

_"What they do isn't ethical, but it isn't illegal; I don't see where the Army should be concerned about their business practices. It doesn't really involve the contract we have with them." The Major conceded._

_"But take it a step further, Sir." Gold pulled his chair over and sat next to the Major. "Do you see the logo on that PPI vest?" He pointed to a file from his disk; the vest had a small insignia of a skull and scythe. "Magnify that and tell me what you see."_

_The Major zoomed in on the insignia and read the small text that surrounded the logo. "In death is victory. To die for the cause is life eternal. It's written in Volipuk." He sat back and watched Gold._

_"Ah, I supposed I shouldn't be surprised that you're multi-lingual. Yes, it's written in Volipuk, which made me wonder... Why would PPI put a logo like that on a product they would sell to the public. So I went to their website and looked at their merchandise, which other than being double the price it should be, seemed to all lack the insidious logo. I poked around a bit more and found this...are we connected to the internet here?"_

_"Yes, it's a non traceable link." Morrow assured him._

_He pulled up a browser and typed in a specific page on the PPI website. All that appeared was a locked log-in screen written in Volipuk. "My guess is they sell armor to the government of Volipuk; again not illegal as they aren't an enemy of the Republic. But what if they resell it to other soldiers that are our enemies? If we can crack that log-in, we can see what's behind box number three."_

_"Your scenario has a lot of what ifs; and even if they do sell armor to Volipuk, unless there's proof that someone at Mills Combat Vestments or PPI know that their armor is being resold in the Frey, there's not much we can do." He considered the options. "Alright, I'll put a decryption program in place. It might take a few hours for it to find the right code." The Major made a few keystrokes and the program began to run on his laptop. "But we'll crack it just to make sure nothing illegal that impacts the Army is going on."_

_Gold acknowledged the truth behind the Major's words before adding. "Sir, I was also able to hack into the Mills Combat Vestments mainframe. I found and copied this information." He pointed to another file on the USB drive. "But I tripped something and the whole system started to fold in and erase itself. I'm sure they have a backup of the files somewhere, but it will be harder to find them if they don't put them back on the mainframe."_

_"Why did you do all of this?" Major Morrow asked him directly._

_"Because Master Sergeant Emma Swan saved my life in the Frey and I owe it to her to make sure she isn't walking into a trap. We've lost too many soldiers to the war; I've lost too many comrades. It would be a crime to knowingly send my old team to it's death." He tried to hold back the emotion in his tone, but heard the slight waver in his voice._

_"Staff Sergeant, will you be returning to full duty in the Army if you are cleared by the physician?"_

_"I don't know any other life but military service; I have every intention of returning."_

_"You realize there are jobs you could do right now, even with your..." He pointed to the prosthetic on Gold's lower leg. "injury."_

_"Perhaps there are, but I don't qualify for anything besides infantry." _

_"Staff Sergeant Gold, I've done an extensive background check on you; basically there isn't anything I don't know about you, including the case of Rum you bartered in the Frey." He watched for Rum's reaction. "You don't seem surprised."_

_"I'd only be surprised if there was something you_ didn't_ know about me. After all, I assume it's your job to know everything about every soldier who serves in the Army." Gold answered._

_"Well, my background check on you was more than routine. There's a slot available in the Department of Intelligence. It's our brains, not our bodies that serve us best in Army Intelligence. You have a natural ability to ferret out the important details, plus you have a knack for linguistics. How many languages do you speak?"_

_"Fluently, only three, including Volipuk; but I can do passable conversations in all the dialects spoken in the Frey. I've done four tours over there now so I've picked up a lot just by being there."_

_"Impressive. And you're right; you did in twenty-four hours what my team did in six months. With a bit of training, you could be a valuable asset to your country and to your fellow soldiers. This is the job description." He pulled out a packet of papers and passed them over to Rum. "I'd like to offer you the job, if you're interested. Your injury wouldn't be a barrier here, and I can get you clearance to start on Monday. Since you're already up to speed on the situation, you would be in the group that's in contact with Master Sergeant Swan's team. She's aware that there is a secondary mission to discover why Regina Mills is really in the Frey and if she is innocent or guilty of any legal wrongdoings."_

_Gold sat stunned for a moment before he found his voice. "You're offering me a job in the Army Department of Intelligence?"_

_"I am."_

_"And you don't plan to kill me."_

_The Major laughed. "It would be hard for you to do the job if you were dead, Staff Sergeant Gold."_

_He read through the packet. "Where do I sign up?" _

_"Here is the enlistment form; it's a six-year commitment to the job position."_

_"Consider me recruited." Staff Sergeant Gold signed his name on the dotted line._

~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~SQ~

I heard Ms. Mills as she awoke to her alarm at 0700. "Good morning, ma'am." I greeted her.

"Where's the shower?" She poked her head out the door and I couldn't help but notice how young she looked with her mussed up hair and sleepy eyes.

"Two buildings down; I'll escort you there when you are ready."

Less than five minutes passed before she come out in her BDUs, carrying a small bag. "I'm ready." She had taken the time to brush her hair, and it glowed in the early morning sunshine.

We walked to the shower house where I went in first to make sure it was safe for her to enter. "All clear ma'am." I said as I took up my post at the entrance to the small building. I heard her turn on the water and imagined how nice it would feel to have hot water working out my sore muscles. The vision of a very wet and very naked Regina came to my mind and I tried to push it away, but to no avail. _Okay, so she's gorgeous._ I told myself. _ But she's a bitch and she's way out of your league. Still...a girl can dream._


	12. Chapter 12

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Twelve

My stomach growled as I stood guard at Ms. Mills' first meeting; Regina declared herself "not a big breakfast eater" so we skipped the mess hall and headed straight to the headquarters building. I watched as Lieutenant Mulan introduced Regina's two assistants.

"Miss Mills, this is Private Aurora Phillips and Corporal Ashley Boyd."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Regina sized up each woman from their blonde hair to their boot-covered toes. "I'm sure they'll do nicely."

"I'll leave you to it then; if you need me just dial extension 159 on the phone." With that my Lieutenant walked towards the door. "Master Sergeant, see that Ms. Mills is escorted to room A1 at 0900, then join me and your team in A5 for our meeting."

I nodded and acknowledged her orders. "Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, Lieutenant, before you go." Regina called just as Lt. Mulan opened the door. "I need internet access and a secure phone line."

"I'm sure that the General can take care of all your requirements Ms. Mills. Those requests are beyond my power." She said without emotion, but I could see the irritation in her eyes.

"Alright." Regina started, causing the Bobbsey twins to take notes. "First you each need to sign my company's confidentiality agreement. It's a standard non-disclosure form; I trust you've seen them before." She handed them each a form, which they quickly read, signed and handed back.

"Excellent." She put them in her briefcase. "Is there an office for me somewhere?" She looked at the Corporal.

"No ma'am, but we can set up a makeshift one in this room; it's seldom used." Corporal Boyd responded.

Regina looked around the small room that was empty except for four chairs and a small meeting table. "We can make do; I'm going to need a scanner, a laptop for each of you as well as some standard office supplies." Private Phillips made notes of her needs. "Also a coffee maker and a pitcher of fresh water every time we meet. Fresh fruit, too." She added as an afterthought.

_Seriously Lady? It's not like we can just run down to the nearest Office Spot and pick up stick-it notes and pastries._

"Ma'am, we will do our best to get this all together this morning. What time this afternoon would you like to meet again?" Corporal Boyd asked.

Regina looked at me, but I just shrugged. "There's nothing on your schedule after this morning's meetings."

"Good." She looked away from me and faced her assistants. "Then let's plan on one o'clock, right after lunch."

"1300 hours, yes ma'am." Boyd confirmed. "I'll reserve the room for the duration of your stay here at Camp Azor. Will there be anything else?"

Regina's eyes narrowed as she spoke. "Yes, I need to dictate some letters and prepare a package to send to my business. I assume you both know shorthand and take dictation?" Both assistants nodded.

"Very well. Ashley, you will take dictation and prepare the letters for my signature and for mailing. Aurora, I need three letter-sized flat envelopes prepared to this address" She handed the Private a business card. Regina sat and focused on her folder before starting her monologue; I tuned out the words after _"Dear Mayor Roberts, Thank you so much for your order of one hundred outer tactical vests..._" Regina had a pleasant voice to listen to, even though what she was say was boring as hell. I was glad I didn't choose to go into a corporate career, I think my soul would have shriveled up and died between the thousand meetings and living like a rat in a cubicle. I don't know how long I was lost in my thoughts, but the meeting soon ended and I glanced at my watch.

"Ms. Mills, it's time to go." I informed her.

"I'm well aware of the time, Master Sergeant. Even if I don't say it correctly in military terms."

_Whatever_. I was tired and knew that it wouldn't take much for her to get under my skin. I didn't take the bait though and just lead her to room A1.

I knocked on the door and heard a thickly accented voice say "Come in." I entered first and greeted the Base Commander. "General Marco, may I introduce Ms. Regina Mills of Mills Combat Vestments." _ Maybe I would have done alright in the business world; at least I'd learned how to make an appropriate introduction._

He stood and smiled as she appraised her. "Ms. Mills, it's a pleasure to meet you; General King and I go way back. I hope you're finding everything satisfactory here at Camp Azor."

_Oh Sir, you don't know the can of worms you just opened._

"General Marco." Regina gave him a warm smile and reached out her hand. He gently shook it and invited her to sit down.

"Master Sergeant...Swan, is it?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Very good; I'm sure you need to prepare for your trip, so leave Ms. Mills in my hands for a bit and I'll make sure to bring her to you by 1200 hours."

"Thank you, Sir." I noticed that Regina watched me during the entire conversation, never once taking her eyes of off me. "Ma'am have a good meeting." I turned and left before she could respond.

Lieutenant Mulan and my team were waiting for me when I walked into our meeting. I sat next to Blanchard and smiled. "Sorry, I had to drop Ms. Mills off with the General." _ God it sounded like I was dropping my kid off at the babysitter. Maybe in a way I was._

"Let's get going then, we only have an hour to cover a lot of material." Mulan dimmed the lights and brought up a PowerPoint presentation on the front wall. I reached into my briefcase beside my leg and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.

I startled when Blanchard gently touched my hand. I looked at her and she tilted her head towards the table. Two banana muffins and a plastic container of orange juice was sat in front of me. Figured you didn't have time to grab breakfast' was handwritten on the napkin. I looked at her in gratitude; it wouldn't have disturbed the meeting I would have grabbed and hugged her. I settled for mouthing a silent "_Thank you_." to her. She just smiled in return.

The first slide Mulan pulled up was a diagram of the entire Freylache region; different geographic areas were color-coded to show if we, or the Rebels, held the key cities. Our Army was there to help the Governments of the region maintain their rightful claim to their countries; the Rebels had a long history of disrupting life in the Frey, but their activity became more organized and more violent over the past ten years. Not all the governments were happy to have us here fighting on their behalf, but without us they would lose control of their countries and we would lose access to the vast supplies of Lantth that the Republic valued so much.

"As you can see from these two maps, this one current, and this one..." She put up another slide that showed the two side by side. "... from six months ago, the rebels have made some inroads into three of our former strongholds."

The current map showed significantly more red areas than the earlier version, which was almost entirely blue. " They've received financial backing to buy better armor and better weapons."

I studied the map, especially the cities that we were scheduled to travel to; Zubai was safely ensconced behind a large blue safety zone, but Volpure was near the red area in the northern part of the Frey. I compared maps and realized how much the Rebels had acquired in six short months.

As if reading my mind, Lieutenant Mulan spoke up. "Your trip to Volpure has been reclassified as high risk; as of now the area is still in our control, but that could change from day-to-day. The longer we wait, the higher the risk to you and to Ms. Mills.

I sighed; Volpure was one of those countries that weren't really fond of us, but tolerated our armed forces because it kept them safe from the rebel armies. And though they weren't truly our allies, they had a large supply of lantth in their mountains that they sold to our country; that made the Republic willing to sacrifice our soldiers to keep the region safe.

"So, you leave tomorrow morning for a three-day trip to Volpure. It's too high risk to send a helicopter just for a civilian's business trip, so you'll be given an armored M-1116 Humzee."

_What the hell?!_ We weren't supposed to go to Volpure till week six. At least by then Ms. Mills would have some experience outside of the safety of Camp Azor. Shit, this mission had clusterfuck written all over it.

I tried to keep my cool, for the sake of my team's morale. As the team leader, I set the tone and it would be no use to any of us if my negativity showed. "Will we be assigned a driver?" I asked, hoping we would have another soldier sent with us.

"No. Again this trip is for the benefit of a civilian contractor; if it were up to me she wouldn't be here at all, but General King convinced General Marco as a personal favor to him. Now we just make sure to keep your team and the civilian out of harm's way."

Staff Sergeant Nolan interjected. "So, this whole duty tour is for some war pirate to get their kicks here in the Frey?"

"Essentially, yes." Mulan confirmed my fears. "However, I'm aware that you're doing some recon work for the Intelligence branch; perhaps there'll be value to the Army in what you discover."

"Not likely." He muttered to Sergeant Graham who just nodded his head in agreement.

"What could be_so_ important that the Army would risk _our_ four lives?" Sergeant Blanchard stood and hit the palm of her hands on the table. _ Okay, clearly my team was already feeling frustration at this._

Mulan gave Blanchard a withering look, forcing the Sergeant to sheepishly sit back down. "Soldier, it is our job to take order and to_ follow_ them; sometimes we know why, sometimes we don't. But, we always _do_ them. Understood?"

"Yes,_ ma'am_." Blanchard was pissed at the dressing down, but she was wise enough to swallow her pride and take it.

Lieutenant Mulan's posture softened. "Look, I know you're not happy about this assignment, but I'm not the enemy here; I'll do everything I can to make sure your team has what it needs to successfully complete your mission." She flipped to the next slide in the presentation. "Which leads us to this..."

She stood and went to a crate that was by the wall. _"You_ are the designated driver for this trip, Sergeant." She pulled out paper maps and keys to a vehicle. "Drive it around the base today; get used to how the dashboard controls are laid out and how it handles."

"Staff Sergeant Nolan, I understand you're certified to operate a 7.62 M-50 Machine Gun."

"I am." David nodded.

"While in the vehicle, you'll be assigned to the turret; the vehicle has a protective turret area which should help keep you safe."

"Yes, ma'am I've been on the roof before."

"Good. Familiarize yourself with the space and the weapon today." She handed Nolan a blue requisition slip. "You're responsible for securing these requisitioned items at the Armory by 1500 hours." Nolan glanced at the blue sheet and read the form. "You may also use the gun range to practice this afternoon with an M-50."

I saw his eyes light up; Nolan loved being behind a big weapon. Lucky for us, he was a hell of a shot.

"Sergeant Blanchard, you will be riding as navigator and communications this trip."

I barely heard Mary Margaret whisper _"I call shotgun"_ before the Lieutenant handed her small leather case.

"GPS with an encrypted signal so we can track your vehicle's location." She also handed Blanchard a canvas bag. "Encrypted telephone with a direct line to me; if you're in trouble think of me as the Calvary. I'll be your main support person during the entire seventy-two hours. If you need _anything_ at all, you call."

Blanchard examined the phone that had one button. "Easy enough; at least I don't have to worry about dialing the wrong number." I laughed softly at her joke, but Lieutenant Mulan did not.

"Once this meeting is finished, head to the Communications Department in the basement of this building. They will give you the latest information regarding safe passages in the Frey. They will also manually update your GPS as you travel, so if you have a sudden change in route directions, it's because the road you were heading is no longer the safest route."

The Lieutenant turned her focus to me. "Master Sergeant, your responsibilities will be two-fold; first priority is to be tactical leadership for you team."

I nodded; that's the job I've been doing for over three years now. Already I was creating the guard rotation for my team, figuring that we needed two of us guarding Ms. Mills at all times, and the other two on backup.

"The second is the primary responsibility of Ms. Mills. You never leave her side from the time you depart at 0600 tomorrow until the moment you drive back safely through Camp Azor's gates. When she eats, you eat; she pees, you pee. When she sleeps, you sleep in the same room and assign two of your team to stand guard. Most importantly..." She paused to make sure I was focused. "...All meetings that she attends, you will stand guard_ inside_ the room with another of your team guarding the outside door."

She's not gonna like that." I blew out a breath thinking of the battle I'd have on my hands.

"She has no choice; who's to say that someone in Volpure isn't planning on killing her? If you were standing guard outside the room, that would give them ample time to carry out an assassination. She'd be dead and you'd be trapped; _not_ an acceptable scenario."

_Wow_. I thought. _ Talk about overkill_, no pun intended. But I considered the pressure of serving in the Frey had gotten to Mulan. I mean talks of assassinations and such were kind of far-fetched scenarios.

But I'm a soldier; trained to follow orders. "Understood." I answered her.

"Any questions?" She looked at everyone at the table.

I looked at my team before declaring. "No, ma'am."

"If you need me, I'll be on-duty until 2100 hours; contact me via radio on channel 15. If you need me after that, find me in my quarters. I'll see you all at 0600 tomorrow." She left us alone in the room to process the information.

"Son of a bitch." Nolan was the first to speak. We all nodded, but really there were no other words needed to describe the situation.

"Alright." I made a decision. "Ms. Mills is in with General Marco until 1100 hours. I have a meeting with someone in Intelligence until then. Take this next hour to get your supplies in order and get packed for the trip. Who's on guard duty for Regina once she's finished with her meeting?"

"I am." Graham replied.

"Good, take her with you to the Humzee; drive her around the course, it will give her an idea of what tomorrow's trip is going to feel like. She's planning to meet back in room A7 at 1300, go with her and stand guard inside the room. Take something to read, it's going to be pretty boring for you." I thought of one more thing. "Make sure she gets lunch, she didn't eat breakfast." _God it was like babysitting a child._ I cleared my head and turned to Mary Margaret.

"Blanchard, go to the Communications Department and get squared away with them. Nolan, go to the gun range and then to the Armory; make sure we all have the arms and ammunition that we'll need for this trip."

The guys just sat there looking downtrodden until Blanchard spurred them on. "Oh come on, guys,_ this_ is what we're good at; this is what our team _does_. We go out into the Frey and face the dangers head-on. Just because we have a civilian doesn't change things; we_ still_ know how to have each other's backs. Now we just get to do it in an armored, air-conditioned vehicle."

"Blanchard's right." Nolan admitted. "Graham I'll relieve you of guard at 1800 hours. Radio me where you want to meet." He stood and put on his tactical vest and helmet. "Will the team be meeting tonight?" He asked me.

"Yes, 1800 is a good time, we can all meet at the Mess Hall, eat with Ms. Mills, and then discuss things afterwards. Alright, dismissed. And Graham...you might want to bring a soccer ball for the meeting."

He gave me a cute grin and nodded. "Aye, Master Sergeant."

My 1000 meeting was interesting; I'd brief my team individually about the details. I'd need to find them when they were not guarding our VIP considering she was the topic of the entire meeting. But now, my primary objective was sleep; being on guard duty at night was killer on the body, especially since I wasn't used to it.

_Sleep, then pack, then meet the team_. I reviewed my schedule in my head as I walked to my barracks. Sleep came easily and my dreams were most pleasant even if Regina was fully dressed in all of them.


	13. Chapter 13

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the war zone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of its characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Thirteen

Sleep came easily and I did have time for maybe two dreams, but then the next thing I knew I was being verbally assaulted. I startled awake and instinctively reached for my gun tucked under my pillow. I came up empty and remembered that it was still strapped to my leg. I scrambled to stand up and face my intruder. _What the hell..Regina?_

"Ms. Swan." She yelled at me again.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." I put my hands in front of me to stop her from invading my space.

I noticed the looks from the other four soldiers who were in the barracks. Two of them started to slowly move towards us, assessing the threat. She must have noticed them too, because her attention turned to the other women. "Step back soldiers, this is a private conversation." That vein on her forehead was pulsing again; I knew she was pissed and likely to say something stupid to them; she would end up with her pinned to the floor, looking up at the wrong end of a pistol if I didn't step in.

"It's okay." I turned around and nodded to the other women soldiers. "She's no threat... just a little worked up right now." I nodded for Regina to sit on Blanchard's bed as I gave the soldiers a small wave. " I've got this." They nodded back and returned to their card game.

Regina continued to stand. "Ms. Mills if you want to have a civil conversion with me I suggest you either sit down, or you leave and find me when I'm on duty and not sleeping." I stood toe to toe with her and meet the glare of her chocolate eyes. Her lips twitched in anger, but she broke eye contact and sat.

"Fine." She sat primly on the cot, her legs crossed at the ankles. I noticed she was wearing an olive colored t-shirt with her camo pants; even my sleep deprived brain managed to appreciate how good it looked on her. I sat across from her on my cot, but I have to admit I wasn't as graceful as I leaned forward, sitting with my knees apart. I scrubbed my face with my hands and tried to wake completely up.

"What's going on Regina?" I sighed.

Her vein twitched again. "It's Ms. Mills to you." She growled.

"Yeah, yeah, and it's Master Sergeant Swan, which you seem to conveniently forget." I bantered. "So are you going to tell me what's got your panties in a bunch?"_ Okay, I probably should have phrased that better._

"Must you be so crass, Master Sergeant?" I could tell she was furious by the way her nostrils were flaring. It was interesting, I noted, that other than when she showed anger, Regina wore a carefully constructed mask; anger, it seemed was the one emotion she let run free.

"Sergeant Graham where the hell are you?" I remembered that he had guard duty.

"Out here, Master Sergeant. Sorry." And then I remembered that men couldn't enter female barracks. I sighed and turned my full attention to the brunette.

"Let's start over, Ms. Mills; what seems to be the problem now?" I tried to de-escalate the situation with Regina.

"Fine." She glared at me, but I could tell she had dialed it back a notch. "What gave you the right to think you could change my itinerary?"

"What?" Okay, now I was tired _and_ confused. "Ma'am, I didn't change anything."

"Then explain to me why we are heading to Volpure tomorrow and not in week six."_ Great, she was pissed off._

"I was told it was for the safely of our group, I assumed you knew." Surely the General would have explained it to her.

"I only knew because Sergeant Graham mentioned it. "At least I would have expected to hear it directly from you."

"_Or the General._" I muttered under my breath. I grabbed my knapsack and pulled out a copy of the map that the Lieutenant had given to me. It showed the current day's status in the Frey. I knelt on one knee in front of Regina and showed it to her. "This area that's black is where the Rebels have the control." I pointed to Volpure, which sat right outside of the black line. "This is where we are going. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes." I looked at her while she studied the map. "Why are we even going there?"

Her eyes looked up to meet mine. "Company business." She stated flatly.

No shit, lady. I wasn't up to playing games right then. "Ms. Mills, unless you want to drop going to Volpure from your agenda, then plan to be ready to go at 0600 hours tomorrow. Right now, I am going to go back to sleep. The team will meet you tonight at 1800 for dinner and then we will discuss the trip. Until then, stay with your guard and leave me alone."

Her eyes narrowed at my firm words; I don't think she was used to anyone standing up to her.

"Fine, just make sure you're ready for the trip as well." She stood up gracefully and waltzed out of the barracks; I was back in my bunk and asleep within moments.

_Sergeant Graham sat in the chair nearest the door; he regretted not heading Master Swan's advice about bringing a book or something to entertain himself. The meeting between Ms. Mills and her two Army assistants was probably one of the most tedious things he had ever endured; in his tiredness he began close his eyes, but he fought it and stayed awake._

_Regina hovered over her two assistants as they worked on the database program she had loaded on their laptop computers. "While I'm away, I expect that you will have the data completely entered so we are ready to start processing the requisitions." She handed them the list of Fields that were needing to be filled in. "We will start with soldiers who arrived here twenty-seven weeks ago and work forward from there. They will be required to exchange their current body armor to receive the Elite At Close Range armor."_

_"Yes, Ms. Mills" Private Aurora Phillips replied as she and Corporal Ashley Boyd studied the information. "Do you want us to hand out the forms once we've built the database?"_

_"No!" Regina sharply answered before realizing how it sounded. Even Graham looked at her in astonishment. "I mean, that won't be necessary." She quickly amended. "We'll start everything once I return."_

The next morning I once again awoke Regina; this time it was at 0530. The night guard duty shift had passed quickly and before I knew it, it was time to prepare to leave for Volpure. I'd never been to that part of the region and I was curious what the country would be like. We were traveling to the Capital city of Larin which, according to the maps, was seventy miles from the country's northern border crossing. Unfortunately, the Rebels held the area only fifteen miles to the west of the road that we needed to travel on.

I entered the dark tent and saw only the outline of her sleeping form. I felt guilty for having to disturb her steady, soft breathing, but I still had to do it. "Regina." I whispered but got no response. I tried again a little louder, but she still remained asleep. At last I tentatively touched her bare shoulder, noticing the warmth of her soft skin. She awoke and looked at me, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.

"Emma?" Her voice was hoarse from sleep.

"Yes." I wondered if she realized she'd called me by my first name; if I thought she was being cheeky I would have corrected her, but it seemed unintentional and I rather liked how my name sounded on her tongue. "Time to wake up."

"Alright." She covered a yawn and as she stretched I realized how sweet she seemed. "You can leave now."._..or not_.

We met the team and Lieutenant Mulan at 0600 hours. The team was huddled together to fight off the chill of the cold, dark morning. As soon as we arrived, they took my bag and packed it in the rear of the SUV. I noticed that Regina had brought a garment bag as well as a duffel bag. Business attire. I figured out when I saw her talk to Nolan and he gently hung the bag from one of the rear roll bars. I then noticed Sergeant Blanchard hanging a thicker olive-colored garment bag next to Regina's black one.

We were just about to load into the vehicle when I heard my name called. I turned back around to see Corporal Ruby Hood running towards us, carrying a basket. "Hey." She smiled as she got closer. "I heard you were heading out. I made you some snacks." She handed me the basket and I peeked inside. I smelled the apple cinnamon muffins as soon as I lifted the lid, they were even still warm to the touch. Ruby had also put in a few bananas, small containers of orange juice, and a loaf of homemade bread. I was really touched that she brought this to us.

"Ruby, you're the best." I gave her a hug and reluctantly broke the contact.

"Be safe." She said to me and, looking into the Humzee, to the rest of the team. "I'll be waiting for you to return." She hugged me again, enveloping me in the familiar warmth of her body.

"See you in a few days." I smiled and held up the basket. "Thanks again." As soon as I settled in the vehicle, Staff Sergeant Nolan reached into the basket and helped himself to the muffins. "Nolan, at least let us leave the Camp before you eat the road trip goodies." I laughingly scolded him. "Alright team, let's roll."

Sergeant Graham started the engine and the Humzee roared to life. Blanchard adjusted GPS and turned a few dials on the dashboard; I felt the warm air from the heater begin to circulate in the vehicle and I felt my hands begin to thaw. Nolan stood up and took his spot in the Turret; he knocked on the thick steel that surrounded him, protecting him from enemy fire. "Pretty sweet!" He grinned as he looked at Sergeant Blanchard. She smiled back before turning to the GPS. I was grateful that he had the protection; I'd known too many Grenadiers who had been shot down because they were exposed in the Turret.

I looked over to my left and glanced at Ms. Mills; dressed in her full BDU gear and a helmet, it was hard to remember that she wasn't trained for this kind of life. I sat my M-16 in it's holder beside my door and leaned over to her. "The seat-belts are tricky in these." I pulled out the jumper style belt and gestured to her thighs. "Grab the buckle." She shifted her hips and felt for the belt. She lifted it up between her legs and I handed her the metal latch, which she snapped into the buckle. "Ready?" I asked her and gave her a thumbs up; she rolled her eyes at me. I snapped myself in and hit Sergeant Graham's seat. "Alright, good to go." He put the SUV in gear and we were on our way. I felt a hitch in my breath when we rolled past the security gates and into the world of the Frey.

We headed north and headed on a rough dirt road; the Humzee felt every pothole and bump, magnifying it and bouncing us around in our seats. The road followed the base of the mountains and we traveled in the shadows of dawn past small villages; most of which were intact but a few had been decimated by bombs and bullets. I looked at each of my team and wondered what was going through their heads. I looked at Regina, thinking that dollar signs were all she would see out here in the mayhem of war; to my surprise she looked a little scared as she watched out her window and saw the cold cruelty of a war-torn country.

Chickens scattered from the road as we passed another poor village. The residents were awake and carrying out their morning chores of fetching water from the village's well, feeding their goats and gathering eggs. Smoke curled lazily from some of the chimneys and old men were sitting in the village center smoking their cigarettes and talking. Most of the villagers just watched as we drove slowly through their town, but a few raised their hands in greeting. A couple of smaller children watched in awe as we rolled by in the camouflaged armored vehicle. _ I need to remember candy on the way back to Camp Azor._ I mentally reminded myself that the older kids looked forward to treats from the Republic Soldiers.

"Too bad we forgot the candy." Sergeant Blanchard turned and spoke to me. I just nodded in agreement. She always thought of the kindest things; maybe she was rubbing off on me. The GPS dinged and we turned left at an unmarked intersection, heading west towards Volpure. I looked at my watch and figured I had a couple of hours till we got there. I tapped Blanchard's seat and she turned around again.

"I'm gonna get some shut-eye." I informed her. "Wake me if you need anything."

"Sleep well." She said laughingly as we hit another pothole and everyone went airborne.

"Don't worry, I'll manage." I grinned back. I've slept in more odd places than I can count; in small, hidden roadside bunkers, on the hard ground covered only by leaves, in my son's toddler bed when he was sick and wanted his mommy to cuddle him, in a couple of beds with complete strangers and in many, many armored vehicles. I was asleep before I knew it.

"Master Sergeant?" Nolan called down from the turret.

"Yeah?" I awoke in a blink and was fully on alert.

"Approaching the border." He gestured ahead at the armed border crossing. The wall surrounding the country of Volpure was impressive; I guesstimated that it was at least twenty feet high. At the top were triple curled rings of razor-sharp barbed-wire and metal spikes of various heights. About three feet in front of the solid wall was another shorter fence, this one was made of strong chain-links that lead up to more barbed wire; between the two walls both soldiers and dogs patrolled the perimeter. This was a country that was serious about keeping people out.

We pulled up to the small passage that was barricaded with heavily armed tanks and guards; one soldier approached us and gestured for Graham to roll down his window. He did so and Blanchard passed him a letter that he gave to the guard. The man studied it for a few seconds before handing it back to Graham and waving us through. I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding.

The moment we entered the country of Volpure, all the scenery changed; this was a country that definitely was benefiting from the war being beyond its borders. Here, the streets were well paved, even in the small towns we passed through on our way to the Capital. Colorful houses showed no sign of damage from missiles or bombs; children walked freely in the streets, innocently holding hands and talking on their way home from school. I wondered if they had any idea of the destruction just an hour from their homes.

I looked over at Regina and saw a look of pure relief in her eyes; she obviously felt more comfortable here in the safety of Volpure. I couldn't blame her; you never really relaxed in the Frey, and, after a while, it can do strange things to your psyche. You look for danger where there is none, you see shadows, you hear gunfire in silence. Volpure looked safe, but my head was still in the Freylache state of mind and I wouldn't allow me or my team to let our guard down.

We drove past a sign that I assumed said "Welcome to Larin'. I don't speak Volipuk, so maybe I was just making up that translation. Regardless, it was obviously the Capital as there were many larger buildings, including an ornate one with a copper dome. We followed the directions given to us on the GPS until we pulled up a private road that dead-ended at a stone wall with an iron security gate. Graham pressed the button on the security pad and we waited. A few seconds later a man's voice came through the hidden speaker. "Shend aruva ma?" We all faced each other, literally at a loss for words; none of us spoke a single words of Volipuk.

"Oh for God's sake." Regina exclaimed. "Roll down my window." We all just looked at her as Graham followed her order. "Ma aruva zet Regina Mills." _Of course she speaks the language._

"Ms. Mills." A new voice spoke, this time in our language. "This is Captain Killian Jones, welcome to my home. Have your driver bring you to the south entrance."


	14. Chapter 14

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Thank you to everyone who is reading/following the story. A huge thanks to everyone who has posted a comment or sent me a message. Your feedback is what helps me know if I'm doing right by the story. If you haven't already...why not take a second and post your thoughts?

Chapter Fourteen

We pulled around to the south entrance of the estate where a middle-aged man was standing, waiting for us. He was a well attired servant, wearing a deep blue suit with a white ruffled shirt beneath the ornate jacket. He stepped forward and open Regina's door. "Ms. Mills, welcome to Voltare. I'm Mr. Smeed; the Captain has asked me to show you and your security detail to your accommodations" He gave a half-bow and offered his hand. She gracefully took it and slid out of the SUV.

"Please follow me." He requested as he picked up Ms. Mills' two bags and carried them for her. He led us to an elevator inside the front foyer. "This way please." We all stepped inside and took the lift to the third floor. He stopped at the first mahogany door, opening it. "Gentlemen, this will be your room." Nolan and Graham looked to me, I just nodded and they entered their room.

We walked to the next door; again Mr. Smeed opened it, exposing the luxurious rooms inside. "Ms. Mills, this will be your suite."

"Thank you Mr. Smeed." She gave him that politician smile that I learned to not trust. He carried her bags in and she followed him; so did I.

"Master Sergeant Swan." Regina glared at me. "It's not necessary for you to secure this room; I'm sure it's perfectly safe." She lowered her voice and stood closer to me. "After all, we wouldn't want to offend our host."

I swallowed hard, not wanting to be the one to break the news to this fiery woman. "Ma'am, actually I have specific orders; I'm to stay with you at all times during our trip here in Volpure. I'm afraid that means sharing your suite."

"Absolutely not!" Her eyes darkened as she turned and faced me full on. "I'm a grown woman who runs a multi-million dollar business. I am not about to share my room with..." She snarled as she said it. "...a common soldier."

_Okay, that was low, even for her._ I felt my temper flare at her insult. "Trust me, Lady, the last thing I want to do is spend time with _you_. But I have my orders and I will follow them to the T." I tossed my duffel bag down on one of the armoires and removed my helmet. "So get used to having a shadow." The hell she was going to intimidate me!

Mr. Smeed just watched the exchange with a slack-jawed expression. Regina spun and snapped at him. "Mr. Smeed, show Sergeant Blanchard to her room. Master Sergeant Swan will be sleeping on my floor."

"Very good, Ms. Mills." He stepped into the doorway. "Captain Jones extends his invitation; there will be a banquet tonight in your honor. Reception will begin at five-thirty." He nervously looked back and forth between me and Regina. "Of course you are _all_ invited."

Regina's expression softened. "Thank you Mr. Smeed, tell the Captain that we look forward to the gathering. Close the door on your way out."

I waited, unmoving, to see what Regina would do next. Once the door was closed she faced me. "Master Sergeant." Uh oh, the nostrils were flaring and I knew she was about to unload on my ass; but then she surprised me and reigned in her fury. "I'll be in the shower, if I can do _that_ all by myself."

I knew her dignity was hurt, but I just couldn't help myself. "Of course, unless you want some company." She glared at me and her eyes widened; then she quickly turned and went into the bathroom. "Your loss." I yelled after her, not completely joking.

I stood and walked around the three room suite, getting a feel for the layout. The main room led into two adjacent bedrooms, both with king-sized beds that were lined with satin sheets and spreads. I went into the one Regina has claimed, her duffel bag laid open on the bed and her garment bag hung on a rod in the closet. I heard the shower running and felt myself blush at my earlier comments. I've never really been one to flirt or be forward, but something in Regina Mills brought out this mischievousness in me that I didn't understand. The shower stopped, so I hurriedly returned to the main lounge.

I picked up the phone and called Sergeant Blanchard; she answered on the second ring. "We have a dinner reception tonight, Sergeant; pass the info along to the men. We need to wear our best BDUs." I cringed knowing how under dressed my team would look."

She didn't respond. "Blanchard?...Sergeant?" I heard the knock at the door, so I hung up the phone to answer it.

"Lieutenant Mulan thought there might be a formal event." She handed me a set of well-pressed dress greens. "She's been doing P&E teams for quite a while now."

I noticed that even the red beret was pressed and replicates of all of my medals, including the ones I usually keep tucked away in my dresser at home, were in place on the jacket "Wow, go Lieutenant Mulan." I complimented my superior officer's forethought as i accepted the dress uniform. Blanchard handed me a box, which I opened to find a pair of shined black shoes and uniform socks. "She thought of everything."

"What's the plan for the reception?" Nolan and Graham joined Blanchard in the hallway.

I considered the questions before answering. "I'll stay close to Ms. Mills, the three of you try to blend in and get a feel for the crowd and for the room. If there are any safety concerns, then Nolan, you take point and you other two follow his orders. If things start to go south, we evacuate and meet at the Humzee. Graham, round-up our rifles and secure them in the vehicle before you get dressed for dinner; everyone make sure to pack your M-9 on your body as well as a boot knife. I'm sure things are going to be fine, but it's better to be ready for the worse."

"On the bright side." Graham smiled. "We get a free meal out of the deal." We all laughed; Graham is always up for anything free, especially food.

"Alright you guys, go get ready; meet us here at 1715, the reception starts at 1730. Blanchard, I need you to come inside and play guard while I shower" They men left and I closed the door. "Just keep an eye on her." I ordered before I carried my dress greens into the other bedroom and laid them out neatly on the bed. "Ms. Mills, I'm going to shower now." I called towards Regina's room.

"Sure you can do that on your own?" I heard her sultry voice whisper in my ear. I froze as she came around to my front side and ran her hand over my shoulder. She was wrapped in a black towel,: at first, the only things I noticed was she was barefoot with slicked-back wet hair, but then I noticed her bare tanned shoulders that led up to her perfectly sculpted neck and face. I felt her hand trail over to my name tag as her finger traced each embroidered letter in my name.

"Ma'am?" I stepped back, trying to break the spell she had me under.

"Oh come on, Emma." She stepped towards me and I could smell her clean skin and apple scented hair. "It's hardly fair that you can flirt with me, but ..." She was running her hand down her own neck now, letting it linger on the tuck that was holding her towel closed. "I have to be a good girl around you. Tell Sergeant Blanchard to leave; I'll be safe in your hands, after all, I'm already wet."

_Oh shit, she called my bluff._ I could see it in her eyes that she knew she just regained the upper hand.. "You know I can't." I whispered.

She stepped back and sauntered away, the towel barely covering her very firm ass. "Your loss, Master Sergeant."

I ended up taking a very quick, very cold shower; it gave me time to clear my mind and cool my body. I dried off and twisted my blonde hair back into a tight braid. I dressed into my uniform, carefully pinning my hair up into the beret. Finally I slid my pistol into my belt holster and hid the combat knife in my boot holster. Looking in the mirror, I decided that I looked pretty sharp; classy enough for the reception. That was, until I saw her; Regina was dressed in a burgundy satin dress with a neckline that followed the swell of her breasts. She saw me enter and gave me a good once over. "My, my, Master Sergeant, you do dress up well." Regina walked towards me and touched my jacket cuff.

I swallowed hard. "Thank you ma'am; you look lovely tonight."

She gave me a cagey grin. "Yes, don't I?" Her smile widened. "I do hope you know how to dance, Master Sergeant."

"Dance?" I stammered.

"Well of course; I couldn't risk having someone stick a dagger in me. I do value_ some_ things more than money; my life, for one." She was admiring her diamond necklace in the mirror and touching up her hair. "Still, can't risk losing this necklace, you know." She turned and I noticed the diamond jewelry dripping from her neck.

"Holy shit, did you bring that with you in a warzone?" I was amazed at her stupidity.

"Of course not, I'm not an idiot; our gracious host lent it to me for the night." Her smile had vanished, and her eyes were dark. "However, I don't want to lose it, so, on this trip, you will dance often with me, especially the last dance. And then you will escort me to the dining table and sit next to me." Her smile returned as she straightened my lapels. "Don't worry, Master Sergeant, I'll lead."

I considered the scenario. "Fine, but I _do_ know how to dance, and_ I'll_ lead." Her hand stilled on my shoulder. "And you will sit on my left side at dinner; it'll make it easier for me to protect you...and the necklace." I added.

The knock at the door broke our impasse, and I walked over to answer it. I checked the peephole to make sure it was my team; it was, so I answered it and invited them inside. "Master Sergeant." They greeted me. I watched their reactions when Regina came into the room Both of the men stared, before catching themselves and looking away. Blanchard noticed Nolan's reaction and I could tell she was a little pissed; but she kept it in check and even managed to sweetly say. "Ms. Mills you look very nice."

Regina turned to her and thanked her. "As do you and your team, Sergeant." She turned to me, expectantly, and asked. "Shall we?" I instinctively offered her my arm and she slipped her hand around my elbow. "Lead on, Master Sergeant." I couldn't see the reaction of my team, but I was sure they'd razz me about this later. We took the elevator to the first floor, and from there we followed the sounds of talking and music to find the formal banquet hall. "Okay, spread out." I ordered and my team immediately disbursed into the crowded room

I escorted Regina through the large mahogany double doors that lead to a sizable room that was decorated with marble floors and ornately carved wooden pillars and walls. Lavish drapery hung from the full length windows, allowing a view of the outside world. I felt Regina's hand tighten on my arm as we walked into the crowd. Immediately she was greeted by our host. "Ms. Mills, allow me to formally introduce myself; I am Captain Killian Jones." His hazel pupils finally left her chest and met her eyes. She offered him the back of her hand and he gently kissed it. I thought I was going to puke.

"Captain Jones." Regina purred as she withdrew her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you; thank you for extending an invitation to your home here in Volpure."

I looked the man over, figuring he was no older than late-thirties, mid-forties. It was hard to tell because though his face bore the scars of a hard lived life, his hair and thin beard showed no gray. He turned his attention to me. "And you must be..." He noted my rank on my formal dress jacket. "Master Sergeant Swan." He stuck out his right hand and I firmly shook it. "First tour in Freylache?" His question seemed sincere.

"No, sir. This is my fourth deployment."

"I understand the toll that war can take on a soldier. I served as an officer in my country's Navy for nearly twenty years." He shared with me. "Unfortunately, my first tour in Zaru was cut short, as was my hand." He brandished his left arm, showing his prosthetic metal hand. "Some of my unit took to calling me Hook once the Navy promoted me to Captain rank before I was forced to retire. Ah, but let's not have tonight be about war." He looked at Regina as he added... "or business. Instead let's enjoy the company, the music, the food and..." He grabbed a goblet of champagne and offered it to Regina. "the fine drink. Cheers!" He had taken another goblet and toasted with Regina.

"He's quite the gentleman." Regina commented as Captain Hook, I mean Jones, moved on to greet his other guests. The small orchestra began a new song, a waltz, and Regina nodded towards the dance floor. "Care to dance, Master Sergeant?"

"My pleasure, Ms. Mills." If she thought he was a gentleman, I was determined to show her what _true_ chivalry looked like. I escorted her to the floor, took her in my arms, and we danced.

When I was eleven, my foster mom was a ballroom dance teacher. I got to go with her six days a week to her dance studio. At first I watched the other children and adults as they learned various dance styles; the tango, quickstep waltz, samba, swing and my personal favorite, the foxtrot. I'd then practice at home, in front of the mirror in my bedroom or the bathroom, trying to imitate the steps and dancing to imaginary music in my head. One night my foster mom caught me; all she did was smile and then lead me in a swing dance in my small bedroom. I was hooked and from then on she let me participate in every class she taught. Six days a week, six one-hour group lessons a day, let's just say I became an adept dancer. Right then, leading Regina in the Viennese Waltz, I was grateful for every second I spent learning how to dance.

The waltz ended and the orchestra began a Foxtrot; Regina was an excellent dancer, too, and matched me step for step. No words were needed as she seamlessly followed my lead. I gave her a smile, and she returned one that was full of joy. We finished the dance and, as we both paused to catch our breath, Killian Jones stepped in and requested a dance from Ms. Mills. I nodded and stepped away, keeping a watchful eye on my charge. It was with great satisfaction that I noted that he wasn't nearly as graceful a dancer as I. Like I said, I take my victories wherever I can find them.

Dinner was an elaborate affair and we all were completely stuffed by the time it was finished. I mostly just watched and listened to the conversations around me during the meal. I was able to remember some of the names of the different guests, as was my team. Regina was in true form during the entire event; she was polished and polite, and I could see that, not unlike myself, she was a well trained soldier just carrying out her duties.

My team and I escorted her back to the suite. "Goodnight Ms. Mills, Master Sergeant."

Regina let me enter, and secure, the room before she come inside. I couldn't tell if she did it as a courtesy to let me do my job, or if she was just humoring me. Either way, I appreciated her cooperation. I came back out into the foyer and told her I'd just be a moment. Once she was inside the room, my team had a quick meeting. "Write down everyone's name that you can remember from tonight as well as any details you can recall. Sergeant Graham, you will be responsible for compiling the list and giving it to me tomorrow by 1400. I'll have my part to you by 0800 hours."

I looked at my watch, it was already 2300 hours and I knew I'd have to be up early tomorrow to stick with Regina. "Go change into BDUs. Two of you take guard duty tonight, one of you sleep. Then meet here at 0800 hours to switch. I'll be inside; if you need anything, call my radio. Tap on the door four times when you are in place for guard duty."

I went back into the room and gently closed the heavy door. I walked towards my room, hoping to get out of my uniform and into my BDU's before my team arrived outside for guard duty. I heard the soft clicking of a keyboard and poked my head inside of Regina's bedroom. There, still in full dinner attire, she sat composing a letter of some sort. She saw me and closed the top of the laptop. "Do you need something Master Sergeant?" Her eyes were curious.

"No, ma'am, just wanted to tell you I'll be sleeping on the floor in the main room if you need anything."

She stood and walked slowly towards me, as she shyly looked me in the eyes "Actually." She quietly said. "Would you mind dancing one more song with me?"

****_How could I refuse such request?_ "It would be my honor."

I stepped towards her and held out my hand for her taking. She took my hand and closed the gap between us, placing her other hand on my shoulder; I felt her firm breasts as they pressed against mine. And, for the next ten minutes, our bodies slowly swayed together to music that only we could hear.


	15. Chapter 15

**Falling in the Frey**

**I was overwhelmed with your feedback for the last chapter! Thank you all so much. This chapter isn't as fluffy and sweet as the last, but I hope you like it all the same :)**

Chapter Fifteen

I woke up the next morning with a kinked back and sore neck; but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face when I remembered the night before. I showered, letting the hot water work its magic on my sore muscles. Once I was dressed in my camo BDU's I went to check-in with my team who were standing guard outside the door.

"Mrnng, Mster Srgnnt." Staff Sergeant Nolan mumbled as he quickly swallowed his food. He gave me a cheeky smile. "Sorry." He said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Mr. Smeed delivered breakfast for everyone." He picked up a covered platter of food and a silver urn. "Here's yours and Ms. Mills." He handed it to me.

"Thanks." I took the items from him. Everything quiet last night?"

"Yes ma'am." Sergeant Blanchard responded. "Sergeant Graham has checked in and will return at 0800 for shift change."

I checked my watch, that gave me thirty minutes to eat and prepare for my day with Regina. "When he arrives, you two get some sleep and he'll stay with me and Ms. Mills until 1600 hours." They both looked relieved and more than a little tired.

I closed the door behind me, using my foot since my hands were full. I set the tray down on the table and poured myself a cup of coffee from the urn. I peeked under the silver lid on the platter and spied the croissants; I grabbed one and sat down to eat. "Breakfast is here." I called out to Regina.

She poked her head out of the doorway as she was attaching an earring to her right lobe. "Coffee, one sugar, one cream." She ordered.

"Um, I'm not your secretary." I protested, sad to see that the woman who danced in my arms last night had been replaced by a bossy one.

"Fine." She snapped and walked over to pour herself a cup of brew. I offered her a croissant but she just glared at me. "I thought we established that I'm not a breakfast eater, Master Sergeant Swan."

_And so we're back to formalities, just great_. "Would have been rude of me to not offer." I muttered in my defense. I _was_ going to tell her how nice she looked in her blue dress and matching heels, but now I just wanted to be petty, so I didn't say anything.

"We need to leave in five minutes." She talked to me as she touched up her makeup in the mirror. "Remember, this is _my_ meeting,_ not_ yours; you are not to speak or interrupt in any way." She turned and faced me with steely eyes. "Do I make myself clear, Master Sergeant?"

"Crystal." I retorted before stuffing the last bite of the pastry in my mouth. I stood and put on my tactical jacket armor and affixed my red beret to my head with bobby pins. My M-9 was already in my leg holster, so I picked up my M-16 rifle and checked outside in the hallway. Sergeant Graham was stationed at the doorway, so I kept him company while I waited for Ms. Mills.

"Sleep well, Graham?" I asked him though he looked well rested.

"Indeed, Master Sergeant. Nice bed they have here, much better than the cots at Camp Azor. Better food, too." he laughed. "How'd you sleep?"

"Meh; the floor was pretty solid." I laughed remembering my attempts at getting into a comfortable position.

"Well, hopefully after the meetings are finished, you'll have time to grab a nap." He smiled.

The door behind us opened and Ms. Mills walked out. "Do either of you know where we're meeting?" She inquired as she looked at her watch.

"Yes, ma'am." Graham nodded. "Follow me; and might I say how lovely you look this morning?"

"Thank you." She said without any emotion. "Let's get going, I don't want to be late." Graham led and I took up the rear. It was a nice view, I admitted, as I walked behind Regina. Even if she was an Ice Queen, she sure was enjoyable to look at.

We took the elevator to the second floor and followed Graham down the long hallway to a doorway marked_ Conference Room A_. He opened the door for us and gestured for us to enter. I let Regina go in first, but I quickly followed and worked to memorize the layout of the room as well as the fastest exits down the hallway. I gave a hand signal to Graham, who nodded and stood at attention outside the door.

I stood next to the door, on the inside of the small conference room. We were early, which didn't surprise me in the least. Regina took advantage of the time alone to make herself a cup of coffee and to organize the space on the table in front of her. She had brought her laptop along, as well as a pad of paper and a pen. Five minutes later, she was tapping the pen on the pad in irritation that Captain Jones was late.

Finally the door opened and Killian Jones, dressed in a suit and tie, stepped through and greeted Regina. "Ms. Mills, such a pleasure to see you this morning." He shook her hand before going and getting a cup of coffee and a pastry for himself. He looked at me and then back at her. "I must say I'm not really comfortable with the Master Sergeant being present during our meeting. I'd prefer if she guarded from outside the room." His expression was pleasant, but his tone brokered no argument.

Regina gave him a tight smile. "Much as I agree with you, Captain, I'm afraid that it's part of the Army's specific requirements. Master Sergeant Swan is to accompany and stay _with_ me wherever I am while in Volpure."

His eyebrow raised as he assessed the situation; he broke into a laugh as he looked at me. "Don't worry, there's too much money at stake to kill Ms. Mills; it would be counterproductive to my bank account." He waved his hand in my direction as he sat down across from Regina. "I assume she's signed a confidentiality agreement with you?"

Regina smoothly brushed her finger on the edge of the teak desk. "I assure you all the paperwork, to protect my company, is in order; I _am_ a lawyer after all."

He leaned back in his black leather chair and grinned. "Beauty and brains, I can see why your company sent you. More coffee Regina? I hope you don't mind if I call you that; I hope you'll call me Killian or Hook in return."

"Regina is fine, Killian." She graced him with a tight smile.

_Oh she's not happy about that_. I realized that I was learning her body and facial language. I was intrigued actually, I'd never been in a non-military type meeting before; watching them in this corporate meeting was like watching two sharks circle each other in the tank. I waited to see who would strike first. Captain Hook dealt the opening blow...

"Good, let's get down to business then, Regina; I'm sure you were told why I asked for a face to face meeting." He leaned forward and steepled his hands together on the table.

"No actually; our two businesses don't have a contract with each other for supply shipments." She wrote a quick note on her pad, but I couldn't read it.

"That's...unfortunate; I had hoped you would have been better prepared." His mouth turned downward; Regina's eyes narrowed.

"Well, let's not waste time then, bring me up to speed." She nodded.

Killian reached down next to the table with his prosthetic hand and grabbed a piece of body armor. He sat it on the table between them. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong with this picture, Regina." He challenged, as he pushed the armor towards her.

I watched as she carefully inspected the armor before she laid it back on the table. "What's _wrong_ is that_ this_ is a piece of armor _you_ shouldn't have." Her voice was like steel.

"And yet..." Killian touched the vest as his voice became laced with venom. "I have it, and three thousand more like it in my warehouse. The problem is, Ms. Mills, my customers don't _want_ this vest." This meeting had just become very interesting to me.

I wished I could hear Regina's thoughts as she stared at him and the vest; she seemed at a total loss for words, which was so unlike her. "Tell me then, Captain Jones, what vest_ do_ you want?"

_Nice recovery_. I silently applauded her.

"Ahhh, excellent question." He leaned down again and picked up another vest that looked identical to the first. _"This_ is the vest I usually receive." He opened the front flap and showed Regina the inside. "Protective Products International. One of your_ affiliates_ I presume."

"One of our_ customers_." She clarified.

"Yes, well the company I _usually_ do business with knows how important it is to have_ this logo_ on each of the pieces I purchase." He pointed to what looked like a skull and scythe. "This is my trademark and without it, my customers are refusing to buy these vest from me. Now, you can imagine the expense I'm incurring by having three thousand vest that I cannot sell. A warehouse full of useless product isn't a smart way to run a business, don't you agree?"

"That would be considerable overhead, yes." Regina was calmly writing on the pad, but I could see the stress in her shoulders as she sat rigidly in the chair.

"I have back orders for the vests, but I can't sell them these. I need the _correct_ vests shipped to me immediately. I need_ you_ to make that happen." His voice rose considerably; I felt my brain and body go on full alert.

Regina managed to retain her poise. "I promise that I'll look into this_ immediately_. May I borrow these vests?"

Killian Jones sighed. "Of course. When can I expect to hear back from you regarding this matter?" He pinned Regina down with his eyes.

She met his eyes and gave him another tight smile. "By this afternoon; shall we meet at three o'clock?" She took hold of the two vests.

"That'll work." He had calmed considerably. "As a fellow business professional, I trust you understand that speed is of the essence. I can hold my customers off for a bit longer, but if they get impatient, I lose their order to my competition."

"Well, we don't want _that_." Regina assured him. "I'll get right on this."

"Then we're done here until three o'clock. Perfect timing actually, I'll have high tea brought in for the meeting." He smiled at her and I wondered if perhaps he wasn't entirely sane. At the very least, he has some anger management issues he needed to work on.

Regina gathered her things and exited the door with me in tow. Graham looked at me in surprise, I just shrugged. The meeting had lasted all of ten minutes. The three of us returned to Regina's suite where Graham took up guard post in the hallway near the door and I went inside with Ms. Mills.

"We're going to be here awhile, Master Sergeant, so you might as well get comfortable." I could tell that she wasn't happy at all.

"Sounds good to me." I admitted as . "Call me if you need anything." I yelled to her, but her bedroom door was already closed. I sat down on the other bed and took off my beret; I left my braid intact, but it felt nice to have it freed from the hat. I quietly set to working on cleaning my rifle, a habit of mine when I had some down time. Once I removed the magazine, I checked the chamber to make sure there wasn't an ammunition in the rifle. I relaxed in the familiar rhythm as I dismantled the rifle by separating the butt stock from the upper receiver. As I removed the firing mechanism, I heard Regina's voice carry from the next room. She was upset, but thank God her fury wasn't directed at me. I listened closely, though I probably should have just minded my own business, as I took a small wire brush and started scrubbing the star chamber and inside receiver.

"Sydney, I don't care if she's in a meeting; interrupt it and get her." Regina raised her voice. There was silence for a couple of minutes before she spoke again, this time more frustrated than the last. "Fine, take a message for her; I need someone to call me back asap and tell me what the hell is going on." I heard the cell phone hit the wall. I ignored it, and prayed that she'd stay in her room so her anger wouldn't be taken out on me.

"Master Sergeant Swan." She yelled to me.

_Aw shit..._ I stood and carefully set the cleaned rifle pieces on the bed. "Yes ma'am?" _ Please don't need me, please don't need me._

"In here, now!"

Apparently my prayers fell on deaf ears. I blew out a breath and knocked on her bedroom door. "Ms. Mills?"

"Come in." I heard anger, but also fear in her voice.

I did as she asked, and stood in the doorway.

"I need your help." Her proud eyes met mine and I was sure those words tasted like vinegar for her to say.

"Of course." I came over and sat down on the bed next to her. "What can I do?"

She handed me the two vests. "Can you do a ballistic test on both of these?"

I looked at her in surprise. "Um, sure. pistol, rifle, machine gun or grenades?"

She shrugged her shoulders and I could see she was fighting her emotions. "All of them, as soon as possible."

"Right away, ma'am." I wasn't one to take orders from a civilian, but I _had_ to admit that with her company at home not cooperating, we were the only support system she had. I went to the main door and gave the vests to Graham with the ballistics tests needed. I watched as he walked to the next room and woke Staff Sergeant Nolan to do the tests.

"He'll take care of it right away, Master Sergeant. Can I ask what this is about?" I knew he was curious, I would have been, too.

"Sorry Graham, I can't say yet."

"Right, need to know, gotcha." He smiled. "I'll knock on the door when the Staff Sergeant returns."

I went back inside and relayed the information to Regina. Her head was bowed as she focused on her laptop, but she spared me a glance and thanked me. I went back into my room and finished cleaning and re-assembling my rifle while I waited for the ballistics report. I had time to clean and reassemble my pistol, clean my combat knife and polish my boots by the time Graham knocked on the door. He handed me the vests, which looked much worse for wear, and apologized. "Staff Sergeant Nolan said there was a bit of trouble getting permission to fire the machine gun within the estate grounds." Graham laughed as he said it; I knew it would be a story we'd remembered and repeated back at Camp Azor.

I tapped again on Regina's door and was rewarded with a soft "Come in." I did as she asked and entered the room. Her bed was now covered in paperwork; most of them had graphs, some of them just had calculations or writing.

"Here's the vests and Staff Sergeant Nolan's report." I waited as she read the notes he had made. She closely inspected the vests; then she produced a small ruler and measured each dent and hole in each piece of armor. For a moment she just stared at the two vests, her mind working hard, I was sure, to figure out the puzzle.

She finally looked back at me. "Thank you Master Sergeant, your team has been most helpful."

I gave her a shrug and a smile. "Is there anything else you need, ma'am?"

"No, that will be all for now. I'm just waiting to hear back from my mother." Regina wrapped her arms around her torso and slowly rubbed her arms.

I back out of the room before assuring her. "I'm right here if you need me." I closed the door once again and sat on my bed. I could hear the soft clicking of the keyboard on her laptop as Regina quickly typed on it. The bed I was on called to me, so I decided to lay down, just for a moment, and close my eyes.

_The gunfire echoed all around me as I covered my head with my arm. All I could see was the smoke from the fire in our overturned Jeep. The noise of the machine guns surrounded me as I crawled on my belly towards a body. I reached out a blood soaked hand to touch the neck of the soldier who laid face down in the mud. Another explosion rocked the ground near me and I felt the gravel spray over us, cutting my exposed skin. I felt for a pulse, but there was none. I looked closer and realized that part of the soldier's skull was missing. I tried to push myself away, but my left leg was dead weight, useless to me, as I forced my arms to turn myself around. The pain was blinding and I felt the scream tear from my throat._

"Emma, wake up." I was being shaken as I screamed out again. "Sergeant Graham help." I heard the voice call out again.

"Master Sergeant Swan, wake up, it's just a dream." I finally woke up and instinctively started swinging at them, but Graham caught my arms and held them to my chest. "You're okay, Swan, it was a dream; _just_ a dream."

As I struggled to catch my breath, I could tell that I was drenched in sweat. I let my head fall back and tried to breathe normally. "Okay." I whispered. "I'm awake." Graham released my arms, but stayed close to me.

"You alright then?" His eyes were full of compassion; this wasn't the first time I'd had this nightmare, and it wasn't the first time he had to be the one to wake me up.

I nodded and wiped my eyes, embarrassed there were tears. "Yeah, I'm just gonna go take a shower." I looked at Regina, but couldn't meet her eyes. I looked back at Graham. "Tell Blanchard to come relieve me." He nodded and called her on the radio.


	16. Chapter 16

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Again, thank you all so much for taking a moment to give me feedback. Sorry there was a few days delay for this update-hope it was worth the wait.

**Chapter Sixteen**

I kept my shower as short as possible; the dream had shaken me, but I refused to been seen as weak, either by my team or by Ms. Mills. The cold water had revived me both physically and emotionally, so I changed into a clean t-shirt that Sergeant Blanchard had been kind enough to bring me, and into my BDU pants and socks. I cracked the bathroom door and padded into the bedroom where Blanchard was sitting at the desk, her head cocked in concentration. She put her arm out behind her back with her hand extended; the hand code for Stop. I froze in place and waited; she signaled me again, telling me to listen.

At first, I could only make out the hum of the air conditioner in our room. But, as I continued to focus, I could hear the sound of Regina's voice. I carefully stepped closer to her door to get a better position. She was on the phone, and from the sounds of it, she wasn't happy.

"I understand that Sidney...No, I need to speak to her urgently...Yes, I know she's a busy woman, but this is of utmost importance...Yes, I'll hold...Hello Mother, I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting...No, it's not life threatening...Because we have a situation here and I'm not equipped to handle it...In Volpure...Because it's dangerous to travel here...I'm sorry, Mother, I didn't mean to question your judgement...no, of course you know what's best for the company...Killian Jones...Yes, he has a shipment from Mills Vestments...three thousand vests...No, I didn't sign off on them...That's impossible...I'm sorry, of course you're right...He's displeased because he can't sell them to his customers...Yes, of course you are and I'm sorry I've displeased you, please understand this puts me in a difficult spot...So that's what I should tell him?...Yes, thank you for your help, Mother...I know, you only want what's best for me...Can we talk about that once I return home?...Thank you, I love you too."

I quickly moved back to the bed and sat down, hoping she wouldn't catch me snooping. Blanchard pushed a button on her sleeve and pulled the earpiece out of her ear. "Sorry Master Sergeant, I had to tape the call." She whispered to me.

I thought she had been on the Bat-phone, the nickname we dubbed the phone she had been given by Mulan. Obviously I was wrong.

"You tapped her phone?" I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was irritated that I wasn't informed beforehand.

"Lieutenant Mulan's orders." She explained, stopping as the door opened and Regina stepped through.

Master Sergeant, how are you feeling?" She looked at me with concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine ma'am, just had a bad dream." I confidently informed her.

Regina turned her focus on Mary Margaret. "Sergeant Blanchard, it seems Master Sergeant Swan is fit to be back on duty; you may go." Blanchard looked at me, irritated that the civilian had given her an order.

I glared at Regina before turning to Blanchard. "I have the guard duty. Thank you Sergeant, I'll see you at 2100 hours. Make sure Graham is guarding the door outside before you get some shut eye."

The Sergeant acknowledged the change of guard. "You have the guard duty. Will do, Master Sergeant."

As soon as Blanchard left I turned on Regina. "Ms. Mills, you seem to have forgotten that I'm their commanding officer, not you."

"Yes, of course; I just feel more comfortable with you guarding me. It won't happen again." She seemed too contrite; she wouldn't even look me in the eyes, which threw up a red flag in my brain. "Master Sergeant..." She finally made brief eye contact. "...I have quite a bit of paperwork to do before my meeting this afternoon. Would you mind staying in my room with me while I worked?"

"Sure, I can do that." I strapped my pistol holster onto my leg and grabbed my rifle before following her into her bedroom.

I took a seat at the desk, turning my chair so I could see both her and the doorway.

"Would you care for some water or anything?" She offered.

"No thank you, ma'am, I really am fine." I smiled at her, hoping to assuage some of fear that I might 'snap'. I had been seeing a psychologist back at Camp Brookes; she assured me that though I did have the nightmares, it appeared that I had no other signs of PTSD. And I had been learning how to deal with my dreams, and more importantly, how to avoid situations that triggered them. I shouldn't have been surprised that I had one; it was a stressful situation, my body was exhausted, and I accidentally had fallen asleep with nobody else in the room.

Regina grabbed two bottles of water and set one of them on the desk. "Just in case you do get thirsty." I watched her as she returned to her computer and to all of her calculations. The two vests sat on the floor nearby, both of them showing the damage that the testing had inflicted upon them. Curiosity got the better of me and I went to examine them.

It was apparent that both vests were able to withstand shrapnel, knife stabs and close range pistol fire. But the PPI vest had the ball from the rifle fire embedded in it, while the Mills Combat Vest only showed an indentation where the slug had been blocked. The machine gun spray had damaged both vests, but the PPI one was definitely worse for wear. "Are these supposed to be the same vest?"

Regina looked up, momentarily confused by my interruption. She touched the PPI vest as she softly answered me. "The Army has strict testing standards for the armor we produce for them; if a piece fails the test then that production run is passed on to PPI for disposal. They can legally resell them to citizens in the Republic..." Her unfinished sentence answered the rest of my questions.

"So neither of these vests should be out here in Volpure or the Frey." I surmised.

"That's correct. The Mills vest is an older version." She added as she touched the holes in the armor. "The Elite Body Armor can withstand machine gun fire, too."

"So what happens now?"

Regina put her fist against her lips and shook her head. "My mother will talk to PPI, get them to send the three thousand vests asap, as well as get them to pay for the shipping to return the Mills vests back to my company. You understand, I hope, how sensitive of an operation this is. My company's armor should never have been shipped here and I need to get it back into the Republic as soon as possible."

"Who screwed up?" I was curious how this mix-up could have happened when two separate companies were involved.

Regina looked up at the ceiling; I could tell she was nearly in tears, so I didn't push. She finally reined her emotions in enough to speak. "According to my Mother, it was me."

"But you don't think it was your mistake?" I had never witnessed a mess up like this, so I really did want to understand how it happened.

"It's impossible for me to tell from here; for security reasons my computer has limited access to the company's server and database. I can't see the requisitions or paperwork trail from either of these batches of armor." She showed me the small ten digit serial number on the inside of the vests. "And right now my Mother is going to be so focused on trying to cover the company's ass that she'll be too busy to help me."

I sat back down and thought about that; what kind of parent would protect their business over their child? I knew if the choice ever came down for me, Henry would be my top priority 100% of the time. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thank you but it's best if you don't. If all of this comes out, I'd rather you weren't implicated in any way. The less you know the better." She gave me a tight smile. "Please just do your job and keep me safe while we're here and in the Frey." It was the first time I heard her refer to the region by its nickname.

"Ms. Mills, my team will do everything in their power to keep you safe." I promised.

"Thank you; I have to finish this." She gestured to all of her calculations. "before our three o'clock meeting. I appreciate you keeping me company." She commented as she returned to her computer. I took the hint and kept a silent guard.

At three o'clock precisely we entered the meeting room and met up with Killian Jones. "Regina." He bowed and kissed the back of her hand before giving her a charming smile. "I do hope you have good news for me."

Regina nodded as she sat in the chair and accepted his offer of tea. "Thank you, Killian." She sat the cup and saucer on the table. "I spoke with the CEO of my company and she has guaranteed that the vests you ordered from Protective Products International will be shipped out tomorrow and arrive here in four days."

Killian clapped his hands once. "That, my dear is most excellent news indeed. My buyers will be very happy to hear that I can fulfill my contracts, and my creditors will be equally pleased that I can pay my bills." He gave a mirthful laugh.

Regina visibly relaxed; her shoulders dropped and she took a deep breath. "Well, my company is pleased as well; PPI has agreed to cover the shipping costs to return the MCV armor back to my company."

Killian's entire demeanor changed at that. "Actually, I've decided it's probably for the best if I just hang on to the Mills vests. After all, you won't be able to use them and no sense your company or PPI pay to have them returned and destroyed." I wanted to wipe the smirk off of his face.

"Mr. Jones, those vests don't belong to you." Regina countered and I could hear the stress in her voice.

"Actually, they do." He waved a piece of paper. "After I have the signed commercial invoice and the bill of laden. Both have the Mills Combat Vestment company logo. I really should have noticed that when I signed for the shipment."

"If you won't return my vests, then you won't get the PPI ones." She threatened.

"Ah, but after that ballistics test you insisted on, I can clearly see that the Mills vest is superior. I can get a lot more money for these, particularly in the Rahdey region of Frelache."

"Are you blackmailing me?" Regina remained seated but I could tell she was aghast.

"Now, dear, I can only blackmail you if you have something to hide. I prefer to think of it as compensation for my pain and suffering. After all, everyday I've been without the PPI vests, I've risked losing money and customers." He picked up and toothpick and wielded it.

"Fine, how much?" Now Regina was just angry; not that I could blame her.

"I'd think that three million would be sufficient." He picked his front teeth with the wooden pick.

"They're not worth half of that." Regina seethed.

"They are to you." That damned smirk was back on his face. "I imagine that your company's logo has no business being here. I wonder what the Army would think if they found out you sold these vests to me."

"Fine. I'll have the money wired the moment the vests are shipped back to the Republic."

"I realize there should be honor among thieves, but I don't really trust you, Ms. Mills. Half tonight, half when the vests are shipped."

"I trust you even less; one third tonight, the other two million when you ship them. Final offer."

Killian Jones sat silent. I figured this was how business was normally done. But, even to me, he seemed to be taking his sweet time to agree with the offer.

"Mr. Jones, if you don't agree within the next thirty seconds, I will order Master Sergeant Swan to have her team destroy every last vest in that warehouse. I'm sure the Army would support my decision to do that." I tried to hide my irritation at being used as a ploy.

He eyed her and then looked at me; I had promised Regina we would have her back, so I just gave him a curt nod. Hopefully he would think it meant she had the power to give my team the command.

He stood and I instinctively let my hand drop to my pistol. "Fine." He held out his hand for Regina to shake. "You win. One million by tonight, two million when I ship the armor back to your company." Regina shook on the deal and gathered her papers.

"You're a bastard, but I'll keep up my end of this deal."

"Perhaps." He laughed at her. "But now I'm a bastard with three million more dollars. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

Regina and I, along with Sergeant Graham, walked back towards the suite. We were nearly there when Staff Sergeant Nolan approached us. "We have orders to move out immediately." He tried to keep his tone quiet as he spoke so as to not bring attention to our conversation.

"Inside my suite, now." I ordered. The four of us walked down the last hallway to the room. Blanchard was standing guard at the door and I ordered her to follow us. "What's the situation?" I asked of her.

"Lieutenant Mulan called me on the Bat-phone; we are to return to Camp Azor immediately. The Skaru region has been overtaken by hostiles, they will soon control the roads, too."

"Let's roll; meet in ten minutes at the Humzee." I ordered and my team quickly scattered. "Ms. Mills we have ten minutes to pack and go." My stuff was already packed up, but her's was not. "Sorry ma'am, no time to wait."

Regina looked at me and I realized she was still in her civilian business attire.. "I have to place this phone call." She looked panicked.

"Then place the call and I'll pack your things." I knew she wouldn't like the idea, but we both had our priorities and only a few minutes to do them.

"Fine, do it." She answered as she dialed the phone number. I had everything packed in three minutes, her phone call ended just as I was about to demand we leave.

"Get changed and let's go." I said as I picked up our duffel bags. Regina quickly dressed in her BDUs. "Leave it." I ordered and she left her business suit on the floor of the bathroom. Grabbing her briefcase and the two damaged combat vests, she followed me and we broke into a run.

The Humzee was running and my team in their positions when Regina and I arrived. We quickly jumped in and I pounded on the driver's seat. "Go, go, go." I ordered.. Graham put the vehicle in gear and we drove to the gate at the end of the property. I waited fifteen seconds for either the gate to open or a voice to come over the intercom. Neither happened so I gave the order to move on. The Humzee plowed through the gate, crushing the barricade as we rolled over it.

I checked my watch, it was 1530 and we still had a thirty minute drive till we were at the country border. Regina and I awkwardly put on our body armor in the confined space of the vehicle. I handed Regina her helmet and she wordlessly took it and put it on. I wondered as I watched her, if she realized the dire situation we were in. There was no longer a safe route to Camp Azor. Of course safe was a relative term in the Frey, but still my gut was knotted up knowing that hostile territory laid just outside Volpure's border.

Blanchard had the GPS route in place and I watched the readout as we go closer and closer to the border crossing. Outside the window, I noticed that there were now tenfold more Volpure soldiers than when we arrived just two days ago. The enemy is at the gates. I could see the border crossing just ahead.

"Sorry, the border is closed." One well armed soldier informed us as we stopped at the crossing.

"We are soldiers of the Republic." I rolled down my window and spoke to the officer. "Lieutenant,, we have orders to return to Camp Azor. We have a civilian with us; a guest of Captain Killian Jones.

His face hardened as he looked between us and the well barricaded border crossing; no enemy was in sight. He finally nodded his head and signaled for the gate to open. "May the Gods protect you."

"May they protect you, too." I offered before we pulled forward and crossed out of Volpure and back into the Frey.


	17. Chapter 17

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

Any and all feedback is welcome.. I know this is a short chapter, but I wanted to get it posted; I promise the next update will be very soon.

**Chapter Seventeen**

I'm not really sure how the Army determines if it's the Allies or the Enemies that are in control of any given region. I'm sure they have algorithms, charts and all sorts of smart people who decide who is winning the war in the Frey. All I know is from the front line, sitting in the backseat of the Humzee, the Skaru region was a dangerous place to be. Anytime control of a region changes hands, it means the battles, and the scars, are fresh. As we drove on the designated route, I could see black smoke still rising from distant villages as well as the sounds of mortar fire and bombs.

The intelligence team at Camp Azor had sent the GPS for a new, safer route for us to follow. The designated route led us up a windy mountain road; it was nothing more than a narrow dirt path with a hill on the left side and a steep drop-off on the right. No guard rails to catch us if we went off the road and no margin of error on the tight turns. Graham hugged the inside of the road, trying to keep us safely away from the cliff. The higher we climbed the windier the road became; the sagebrush and scrub oaks had given way to juniper trees and finally to forests of pines.

"Keep looking out the front window." I hollered to Regina, noticing that she was looking pale. She didn't respond, so I reached over and put my hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

She slowly turned to me and I could see the fear in her brown eyes as she nodded.

"I think you're just carsick, just try to breathe normally and look outside." She leaned over so she could get a view out of the front windshield.

"Blanchard, can we have some air back here?" I requested even though outside it was obviously quite cold; small drifts of snow clung to the base of the mountain next to the road, though they were less common now that we had begun our descent into the valley. Still, the last thing we needed was the smell of puke inside the Humzee. Blanchard looked back at Regina before quickly turning on the A/C.

Fortunately the road soon straightened out as we left the pine trees and the snow behind and headed into the high desert. Here, the Yucca trees and barrel cactus broke up the flat horizon. Regina seemed to have more color in her face and I relaxed, knowing she wasn't going to toss her cookies. We drove along the road at the base of the mountains; it wasn't in much better condition that the one we had just traveled but at least it was fairly straight and only had small hills and valleys to contend with. The sun was starting to set behind us, turning the skies from blue into shades of purples and reds. Driving at night was always riskier; the noise of your engine seemed to travel further and the headlights of your vehicle made you an easy target. I checked my watch; with any luck, we would be back at Camp Azor within two hours. I sat back and tried to relax.

"Hang on!" Blanchard yelled from the front seat and as we crested the small hill, I could see the two vehicles blocking the dirt road in a narrow valley ahead of us. Gunfire from their turrets sprayed bullets on the ground, unable to reach us. In the shadows of dusk it was impossible to tell if they were friend or foe, but the gunfire made it pretty clear that they were taking no chances that we were allies. If they were shooting at us it was because they knew that we were not their friends.

"Can you go around them?" I yelled at Graham. He shook his head _no_.

_Shit._ "Engage the enemy." I ordered; Blanchard and I each pushed our rifles through the small portals in the vehicle and waited until we were within range. Nolan braced himself in the turret and, with the longer range weapon, began to shoot at the soldiers. I watched as four enemy soldiers dropped to the ground, probably already dead.

"Go through them if you have to." I commanded Graham. We were in a bulletproof Humzee, they were in much smaller trucks.

"Understood." He answered as he kept us on a steady path towards the vehicles.

We were now within shooting range and I could hear the bullets as they sprayed our Humzee. When they hit the turret cover, it sounded like a pin, but when they peppered the Humzee, it was a deeper sound. "Grenade launcher on the right!" I called out, noticing the enemy had his weapon pointed at us. Just as he shot, Blanchard took him out and his aim went wide, sending the grenade downward. It exploded in front of him and I cringed at the sight.

"Brace yourselves." Graham called out. I leaned over as far as I could and shielded Regina's head and torso with my own. The collision of vehicles caused our Humzee to jerk hard on impact, but we kept going, leaving the trucks in our wake.

I couldn't look back, there was gear blocking the back window, but Nolan could see and he just called down. "All clear." I sat back up and focused on Regina.

"Are they dead?" She asked, slightly dazed.

"Yeah, we got them all. It was an isolated squad" I nodded.

'We have to go back." She looked at me and the fear disappeared from her eyes.

"What?" I shook my head. "No way."

"We have to, Emma; I need to know the armor they're wearing." She reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Regina, I'm not risking our lives so your company can know who your competition is." The idea was absurd. I pulled my arm away, refusing the let the warmth from her hand sway my decision.

"The Army needs to know, too; if the enemy's equipment is as good as the Republic's, then the Army needs to know that. And I need to figure out how they're getting their hands on it."

_Okay, that's a valid point._

"Nolan, you got eyes on anything?" I called up to him.

"No ma'am, it's all clear."

I tapped the back of the driver's seat. "Turn around, Graham, take us back."

"Master Sergeant?" He glanced at me in the rear-view mirror; he probably thought I had lost my mind.

"That's an order, Sergeant." As soon as I said the magic words, he immediately turned the Humzee around and headed back to the scene of the battle.

The dusk had turned to darkness and as we approached I could tell that the vehicles were still on fire. Regina started to unsnap her belt. "Stay here." I ordered her. She glared at me. "Ms. Mills I can't have you out there with me, just stay put!" I know my tone was harsh, but seriously? We just made it through a battle and came out alive. If I had to go fetch a vest, I'd be damned if I would risk another life to do it.

"Clear." Nolan announced. It was the word I was waiting to hear; I opened my door and scrambled to the nearest truck. I was on my knees, surrounded by smoke; all I could see was the outline of the wrecked vehicle.

Crawling forward, I felt my arm touch a softer object._ Human leg._ my mind processed. I felt the warm, stickiness of blood as my hands moved up to the torso. I found the vest and quickly cut it off the body; hurriedly I scrambled back to the Humzee and crawled into the cabin. "Go." I ordered as I set the vest between my legs and snapped my seat belt.

Regina stared at the vest for a few long moments before taking a deep breath. "May I see it?" Her voice wavered in the near darkness.

"Yeah." I handed the armor to her and watched as she turned on her flashlight and gingerly handled the vest. Nolan's machine gun must have been what killed the soldier; the clean pattern of a spray line had torn through the vest. Regina looked, but wisely didn't touch, the damage from the gunfire. She then opened the front and inspected the insides. "Dammit. It's from PPI." She shut the light off and tossed the vest down between us.

As we rolled through the Skaru region we passed a handful of burnt out villages; the houses abandoned, ruined by mortar fire. I hoped that the villagers had gotten out in time; if not, they were laying at the bottom of the rubble that was once their homes. Blanchard kept a constant eye on the GPS as we followed the route fed to us by the intelligence soldiers back at Camp Azor. I realized how tense I was; my shoulders ached and my nerves were frayed. I was pretty sure that all of us were feeling the effects of surviving a battle and then having to drive through the extensive damage that combat had left behind.

We traveled silently for the next half an hour until we saw another blockade ahead of us. I saw Nolan's hand reach down and feel for his night vision binoculars. He took them and a few seconds later announced. "Ally blockade." I let out a breath I was holding.

We pulled up to the checkpoint and slowly rolled to a stop. I recognized the flag on the MP's uniform. The unit was part of the allied troops from Cholate, a large country east of the Republic. Graham rolled down his window and greeted the soldier. The soldier peered into our vehicle before asking "What business do you have in this region? I didn't think Republic soldiers were assigned to Maaru."

Graham handed her our orders and she inspected them closely. Handing them back to Graham she commented. "Bad luck having to go through Skaru right now. Any troubles?"

"Yeah, we wiped out a small squad of rebels about forty miles back; they had barricaded the road and shot at us. We have the tape to prove it." He gestured at the small camera in the front windshield.

"No need, Sergeant. Welcome to Maaru, it should be a quiet ride through the region." She stepped back and waved us through.

My thoughts wandered as I rode for the next two hours. At first, I thought this two month trip was a PR stunt either by the Mills Combat Vestments or by the Army. But this trip to Volpure had changed my perspective. Now it was about understanding how companies from the Republic could supply our enemies with armor and weapons. Morally, it was wrong; and no amount of money or profit could convince me otherwise.

I looked at the woman beside me and wondered if she, too, was part of the game; I knew her company was somehow involved. The question was if Regina Mills was an unwitting participant or a willing accomplice in this venture. I really, really hoped it was the former.

We arrived at Camp Azor in the middle of the night, but all of the activity on the road to camp would have made you think otherwise. Multiple checkpoints were still in place and we joined the line of vehicles that traveled towards the base. When we passed through the fourth checkpoint, Blanchard pulled the bat-phone out of her backpack and radioed the Lieutenant.

"Lieutenant Mulan, we are two checkpoints from Camp Azor...Yes, ma'am...0100 hours, we'll be there." She hung up the phone and filled us in. "We have a debriefing meeting at 0100 hours." She looked pointedly at Regina. _"All_ of us are required to be there."

I looked at my watch, it was 0018. _There goes any chance of sleeping soon._ We cleared the last checkpoints and Sergeant Graham drove us straight to the Admin building. Lieutenant Mulan was waiting outside for us; as we stopped the vehicle and climbed out, she circled the Humzee, inspecting the damage.

"Go inside." She ordered us us and we grabbed our gear. "Master Sergeant, you stay with me."

"Nolan, you have primary guard duty." I commanded as my team and Ms. Mills walked away. I turned and faced Mulan. "It was a rough trip." I said dryly.

She nodded before she opened the front passenger door and removed the disk from the video camera. "I'm sure this will be an informative tape." She glanced around and spied the abandoned vest. "Master Sergeant?"

"It's from one of the rebels we killed; you're gonna need to be brought up to speed on all of this." _And there went any chance of sleeping tonight._

The Lieutenant grabbed the vest by one strap and carried it as we walked to the building. "Go sit in room 201, I ordered food and coffee for your team. I'll review this tape with other officers and meet you when I'm done.

I slowly walked down the hallway to the door marked_ 201_. "Where's Mills?" I asked as I looked around the small room.

"Bathroom." Nolan answered blandly as he sat at one of the tables and sipped his coffee. I heard the flush of the toilet and the water running in the sink before Regina came through the only other door in the room.

"Would you like some coffee or a sandwich, Master Sergeant?" Regina asked as she placed a mug below the cistern filled it with the hot, dark brew.

"I'll get my own, thank you." I walked over to the counter and grabbed a paper plate. Regina picked over the sandwiches before selecting one; I just took the first one I could reach and set it on my plate. I chose ice water over coffee, knowing that the caffeine would just increase my nervousness. We had done nothing wrong, yet I knew that my team was about to be interrogated. The five of us ate silently, focusing on our sandwiches and chips. None of us spoke or dared look at each other; we knew the room had cameras and microphones, so the less said the better. When the Lieutenant was ready, she would come and ask the questions, until then we just had to wait.


	18. Chapter 18

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

**Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)**

**Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.**

**A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.**

**All the feedback has been amazing! I can't thank you enough for taking the time to post a comment on the story. Your feedback inspires me to do right by this story and the characters. 3**

**Chapter Eighteen**

I glanced up at the clock on the wall;_ 0145_, we had already been detained forty-five minutes with no sign of Lieutenant Mulan or any other officer. I poured myself another cup of cold water, the ice had long since melted, and sat back down to wait. The door opened and the Lieutenant and two Military Police stepped through. "Staff Sergeant Nolan and Sergeants Blanchard and Graham, you are free to go; Master Sergeant you have a conference in room 203. Once you're done, check in here for further orders.

"Yes, ma'am." My team all replied and stood to leave. I walked out with them into the hallway.

"What do you think they're doing?" Blanchard asked in concern.

"I wish I knew; they found the PPI vest in the Humzee." I informed them.

"Oh shit." Graham was always so eloquent with words.

I entered room 203, not knowing what to expect. Inside I was greeted by a red-haired woman who sat next to a laptop. The monitor was turned on, and the emblem of the Army of the Republic was showing on the screen. The woman stood as I closed the door. "Good morning, Master Sergeant."

"Um...good morning First Lieutenant." I slowly closed the door behind me. "So, what's up?"

She smiled softly before saying. "I think there's an old friend who wants to say hello." She pushed a button on the keyboard and the emblem disappeared; in it's place was a live video of Sergeant Gold.

"Rum?" I sat in the chair, amazed to see his face.

"Emma." He smiled. "It's great to see you well, Master Sergeant."

"What are you doing? I mean how? Uh...I thought you were probably dead or something." I was at a loss for words. He looked like he was in uniform; clean-shaven again with short hair.

"The Intelligence Branch brought me in after you left for Freylache."

_Damn it!_ " I am so sorry, Rum."

He waved me off. "No no, it's good; it's great actually. In fact, it seems I owe you another favor, Master Sergeant Swan. I've been given a position in the Intelligence Division; my current assignment is specifically tied to you and your orders. Fear not, Emma, I've got your back."

Wow. I shook my head to clear the confusion. "So you're alright?"

"Better than alright. But we need to talk; tell me what happened in Volpure."

I looked over at the First Lieutenant, noticing the Intelligence insignia on her sleeve. She nodded at me.

I filled them in on what I remembered; the meetings with Killian Jones, the phone calls Regina had made to her company, the testing that Nolan did on the two vests, the battle in the Skaru region, and finally, the recovery of the rebels vest and it's ties into the company of Protective Products International aka PPI.

Sergeant Gold asked me a variety of questions as we had gone along, but the most difficult one he saved for last. "Master Sergeant Swan, in your professional opinion, is Regina Mills innocent of knowingly trafficking defensive or protective armament to enemy combatants?"

Silence filled the room as I considered the question in grave seriousness. _ Was she a player or a pawn?_

"God, I honestly don't know; I hope so, but..." I looked at him as I felt the knot in my gut tighten. I shrugged. "I just don't know."

"Very well, Master Sergeant; I was just asking your opinion. You don't have to be the judge and jury on this. Stay safe, Emma; innocent or guilty, she's still put your team in a dangerous spot." I trusted his words; never once did he give any signals to indicate that he was being deceptive or that I was in trouble. But he was right, my team and Regina were in a dangerous bind.

"You stay safe, too, Rum. Will we talk again?" I realized how much I missed him.

"So much that you'll probably get sick of seeing my face." He laughed. "Get some sleep, Emma, you look tired."

The conference ended and the screen returned to displaying the Army logo. I looked at the First Lieutenant. "What happens now?"

"Now we go down and watch Ms. Mills' interview I want your thoughts on the information she gives to Lieutenant Mulan. We thought it was less suspicious to have Mulan interview her, since she already knows the Lieutenant. After that, I'm sorry that you have guard duty until morning; you can choose to do it in room 201 or to do it back at Ms. Mills' housing."

"Let her sleep in her own bunk tonight." I decided as I stood and stretched. "Alright, let's go." I followed the First Lieutenant out of the room and into the small viewing area behind room 201's one-way mirror. We could see in, but they couldn't see us. The officer offered me a chair, but I declined. I wanted to be as close to the window as possible.

The interview had obviously been going on for a while; Regina sat with her arms wrapped around her body, a sure sign she was stressed. Mulan was watching her, no emotion on her face or in her voice. "Ms. Mills, I will ask you one last time. What is Mills Combat Vestments relationship to Protective Products International?"

Regina sighed and closed her eyes. "The answer isn't going to change, Lieutenant. PPI is a company that we pay to dispose of armor that doesn't meet the testing standards of the Army. Nothing more."

"And you had no knowledge that PPI was reselling the armor?" Mulan made notes, though I was sure the interview was being taped.

"It's not illegal for them to rebrand the armor and sell it in the Republic under their brand name."

"But did you know that they were selling it to customers who were not citizens of the Republic?" Mulan was pressing her and I could see Regina was about to lose her temper. I prayed she wouldn't; you don't screw with the military and if she lost her temper it wouldn't bode well for her case.

"No, I didn't even suspect it until yesterday when I met with Killian Jones."

"And have you ever had any previous contact with Killian Jones?" Mulan read the questions off of the notepad.

"No, not that I can recall."

"Has anybody from your company ever had contact with Killian Jones."

Regina's temper started to bubble over. "For the fifth time, not that I'm aware of."

I looked at the clock, it was 0317. I knew that I was tired and on edge; I imagined that Regina was the same. "You aren't going to get anything more from her. She's a lawyer, she knows how to answer questions." I spoke quietly to the First Lieutenant. "Look, I was with her the whole time in Volpure; she was as surprised as I was to find out PPI had business in the Frey."

The First Lieutenant paused, and then nodded. She pushed a button on the wall. "Ms. Mills thank you for your time tonight, I'm sure you're tired. Master Sergeant Swan will meet you in the hallway to escort you to your lodgings. Lieutenant Mulan, I'll meet with you tomorrow at 0900 hours."

I stepped out of the small room and into the hallway; soon enough the door from room 201 opened and Regina joined me. "Are you alright?" I asked her as we walked to her tent.

"I'm exhausted, I'm irritated and I'm hungry. I just endured an interrogation in the middle of the night about something I know too little about. I'd say I am_ anything_ but alright."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. The temperature had dropped considerably since we had arrived over two hours ago and the night was dark with only a sliver of a moon hanging in the high western sky. We approached her lodgings and I escorted her inside; I wanted to make sure it was safe and I wanted to make sure she was settled before I began my watch duty. I turned on the small lamp, bathing the interior in a dull, yellow light.

"Will you be guarding me tonight?" She sounded defensive.

"Ms. Mills, nothing has changed; I still have the guard duty at night. But it's to keep you safe, not to keep you prisoner."

She sat down on her bunk and tossed her helmet on the pillow. "I know, thank you." Her voice was weary.

"If you need anything, ma'am, I'll be right outside." I watched as she took off her BDU jacket, leaving her in just the t-shirt and BDU pants.

"Dance with me?" She asked so softly that I barely heard the request.

"Sure." I needed it as much as she did; the touch of another person, the comfort of an embrace, the reminder that after you faced death you were still alive.

It was a shorter dance this time, but as I offered her my hand and wrapped my other arm around her waist, I felt content. The only music was the call of an owl in the distance and the sound of the gentle wind against the canvas tent sides, but we found our sync and let our bodies meld together for a few precious moments. She pulled away much too soon, and I immediately missed the warmth of her body pressed against mine.

"Good night, Master Sergeant." She whispered.

"Good night." I replied before stepping outside and taking my position at the opening in the barricade wall.

Fortunately, the night was quiet and morning came quickly. I saw Sergeant Graham as he walked down the path in the middle of camp. "Good morning, Master Sergeant."

"Morning, Graham. Sleep well?" I noticed he looked fairly refreshed.

"Better than you did." He gave me a quick smile. "And Ms. Mills?"

"Still sleeping; it was a late night." I was so tired that I was becoming nauseous.

"Well you go get some shut-eye. I have the guard." He took up my former place.

"You have the guard Sergeant Graham. Thank you." I appreciated his concern as well as his prompt arrival at 0800 hours. "I'll see you this afternoon at 1400."

I entered the women's barracks and for once I was grateful that there was nobody else around. I stripped down a clean t-shirt and a pair of black nylon shorts; I planned to sleep for as many hours as I could manage and I wanted to be comfortable. But, as soon as I lied down on my bunk, I felt the tears in my eyes; I couldn't have stopped them, or the sobs that came from my soul as I felt my whole world come undone. My whole body was wracked in grief and fear; my soul ached to be an innocent, untouched by war or death or killing. I had lost track of time, letting the emotions run their course. It hurt like hell to go through it, but I knew it needed to happen, so I let myself cry.

I felt the soft hand on my back and the the compassionate voice of Sergeant Blanchard. "It's okay, Emma." She rubbed slow, small circles on my back, trying to reassure me. I nodded sharply, but I had no words to answer her. "Shhhh, just cry it out, I'm here." I felt another powerful sob wretch its way from my chest. I was so very tired, and my body was finally too exhausted to tap the energy it took to cry. So, I lied there, letting the track of tears dry on my face; to make things worse, my nose was running and my head felt like it was in a vicegrip. "Here, sweetie." Blanchard offered me a box of tissues; I took three and blew my nose.

"Thanks." I managed to croak out, embarrassed now that the crying jag had ended.

"I'm, umm, just going to be over here on my bunk, okay?" She stroked my head as she stood up. "I'm off-duty until 1400 hours, so I'll just hang out if you don't mind." I knew what she was doing; she figured that as long as she was nearby, then I could sleep without fear of having nightmares. Being a foster kid, I never really had a sister, but if I did, I would have wanted her to be exactly like Mary Margaret Blanchard.

"Okay." I tried to smile, but that only made my head feel worse. "I'm just gonna sleep."

I was still tired when Blanchard apologetically woke me up at 1330. I managed to stumble to the showerhouse with a change of clothes and my toiletry bag. The warm water felt heavenly on my sore and tired body; I stood there for five minutes without even moving, before i washed up and got out. I dried off and dressed in clean BDU pants and a clean t-shirt; the one I slept in was soaked from sweat. I looked at myself in the mirror as I brushed my hair and pulled it back into a loose ponytail. I finished by brushing my teeth and putting on some lotion that contained insect repellent I peered closer into the mirror and noticed the dark circles under my eyes and the furrow lines in my forehead that were refusing to go away. Well, all things considered, I didn't look half bad.

I quickly put my stuff away in the trunk at the foot of my bed before I grabbed my pistol from the gun locker under my bunk and strode out the door. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky; the day would be warm, but tonight would be another cold one.

"Hey guys. How's it going?" I caught up to Blanchard and Nolan outside the women's barracks.

"Alright." Nolan smiled at me. "How are you doing, Swan?" He stepped forward and clapped me on the shoulder. It was good to see him back to his usual good-natured self.

"I'm hangin' in there." I smiled at him and Blanchard. "What's the plan Staff Sergeant?"

He pulled his hand away and rubbed the back of his own neck. "Lieutenant wants to meet with you at 1430 Sergeant Blanchard will relieve Graham for guard duty at 1400. Then Graham and I will meet up with you after your meeting."

"Alright, I'll see you then." I checked my watch; I still had thirty-five minutes till I had to meet with Mulan. I was beyond famished, so I headed to the Mess Hall.

"Emma!" I could hear Ruby's voice from across the large tent. I looked over and she waved, flashing a big smile at me. I waved and tried to muster a smile. I adored Ruby, God knows I warmed her bed more than a few times on my last tour. But now, I was too exhausted to even consider picking up where we had left off. I brought my plastic tray to the food line and watched as KP soldiers plopped a variety of food stuff on my plate. I grabbed a bottle of water and went and sat down in the corner next to some other soldiers that I didn't know. They said hi, but otherwise ignored me.

"Good Afternoon, Master Sergeant Swan." Lieutenant Mulan greeted me as I walked into her tiny office. I sat down in the chair on the other side of her desk and waited. "Give me just one moment to finish this up and I'll be right with you." She stood and left the room, giving me a chance to look around at the decor. Most of it was standard Army stuff; plaques, stock photos, a few pictures of her with other soldiers and civilians that I assumed were previous VIPs that she had dealt with in her line of work. I leaned forward to check out her desk more closely, surprised to find a photo of just her and Private Aurora Phillips, who was one of Regina's assigned assistants here at the Camp. _Hmmmmmm_. I wondered as I noticed that they were both dressed in civilian clothing, arms draped over each other's shoulders, smiling at the camera. The Army had no problem with two women being together, but it did frown on officers and enlisted personnel fraternizing with each other. I sat back quickly when I heard the Lieutenant coming back down the hallway to her office.

"Good news, Master Sergeant; your team has been cleared of any wrongdoing on this trip to Volpure and in the battle you engaged in with the rebels." Mulan sat back down in her chair and set a small stack of manila folders neatly in front of her. "However, the verdict is still out on Regina Mills; until more intelligence has been gathered and reviewed, and the Army tells me otherwise, your team is restricted to Camp Azor until further notice. Also each of you will need to undergo a standard psych eval before you're allowed to leave base again."

"So standard Protect and Escort duties? Six hour shifts like before?" I wanted to clarify what my team's responsibilities were going to entail.

"Mostly, yes." Mulan stood and opened a sealed cardboard box. "These are for you and your team;." She handed me four BDU jackets; each one had our proper patches and badges already attached. "There is a transmitter hidden inside of the material, you activate like this." She pressed on a metal snap in the left sleeve."

I turned over my new jacket and looked closely at the ordinary looking gear; the jacket wasn't new, it had been broken-in and had some scuff marks on the elbows to prove it.

"And to turn it off?" I looked at her.

"Push the snap in the right sleeve." She showed me on Nolan's jacket.

"Okay so left is on, right is off." I clarified.

"Yes. If and when any of your team, at any time, overhears Ms. Mills saying something suspicious, or having any type of business call or discussion, you turn the microphone on. Try to act casually, you don't want to raise Ms. Mills' suspicion that she is being recorded."

So now we were to keep her safe; all the while spying on her. I hated this job. I just wanted to be back home at Camp Brookes, watching my son playing a basketball game. Or eating one of what we jokingly called 'Kelly's home-burnt meals'. I appreciated that she tried to cook, and truth was she was better than me, but still most of her meals were on the very well-done side. The thought made me laugh, which was totally inappropriate timing on my part.

"Something funny, Master Sergeant?" The Lieutenant was staring at me.

"No ma'am, I think I'm just tired." At least that wasn't a lie.

"Very well, fill your team in on the operation and let me know if you have any trouble. I'll meet with you every morning at 0800 when you get off your guard duty."

"Yes, ma'am." I replied.

"Dismissed." She nodded and then turned to focus on something other than me.

I dropped off Blanchard's jacket, as well as my old one, in our barracks. I looked around once I was back outside and saw Nolan and Graham out on a small field of green, I wish I could have called it grass, but it was more just a collection of random weeds. As I came closer Nolan turned and kicked the soccer ball to me. I smiled and kicked it back, but my aim was off and I sent it flying over his head, forcing him to chase the ball down. "Looks like someone needs a bit of practice." Graham teased me.

Nolan returned with the ball in hand and cocked his head towards the jackets. "What gives?"

"Super spyware." I told him as I handed them both their respective jackets. I relayed the information the Lieutenant had given me, and showed them how to operate the microphone on the jacket. They each tried it, goofing around as they put the front of the jacket over their mouths.

"Testing, testing can you hear me?" Graham laughed as he tapped the right sleeve to turn the microphone off.

"Loud and clear." Nolan replied from the inside of his uniform.

"Alright gentlemen; enough." They both had the decency to look properly chastised. But that only lasted a moment before they were pass kicking the ball in our small circle.

"Well ,it's good news that we're cleared of any wrongdoing." Nolan kicked the ball to me and this time I managed to kick it back to him. "But do they really need us to talk to a shrink?"

"Yeah, the Lieutenant said it was an order; I have the appointment times in my memo book, we all meet with him individually tomorrow."

"Meet with whom?" I heard Regina's silky voice behind me.

"Ms. Mills, Sergeant Blanchard." I acknowledged the women. "And meet with a psychologist; it's standard Army procedure when a soldier has engaged in mortal combat."

I could see the resistance immediately in Regina's demeanor. "I'll refuse."

"Yeah, you can." I wasn't going to fight with her in front of my team. "But until all five of us are cleared, we are restricted from leaving Camp Azor. That's fine by me; as far as I'm concerned they can just call this whole mission off and send us home." I felt the ball hit my leg, so I turned back around and gently kicked it to Nolan.

I could feel Regina's eyes boring a hole in the back of my head. "Calling off this mission is unacceptable."

"Then I guess you'll just have to talk to the shrink." I ignored her and she finally stalked away, Sergeant Blanchard in tow.

Once they were out of earshot, Graham praised me. "That was excellent, Master Sergeant."

"Thanks, Graham." I said, but I felt bad for having to call Regina's bluff. She was a proud woman and I was sure I'd catch the backlash of causing her to lose face.

It happened as soon as I took night guard duty. Sergeant Nolan had just walked away, leaving me to guard the mercurial woman. I had managed to avoid her since our earlier chat; I didn't go_ out_ of my way to not see her, but I_ did_ know her schedule and I just decided to find myself in other places, where I knew she wouldn't be.

I watched Graham walk away, wondering if she was going to even speak to me. I took up my normal position in front of her small barrack and focused on my duties. It wasn't long until she whipped the door open and stepped out to confront me.

"You infuriate me!" She started in, as she strode over and spun my body around to face her. I could see the vein twitching in her forehead and wondered how long she had been winding up for this moment.

"Yeah?" I tried to play it cool. "Well, same goes for you, Lady." I tried to turn back around, but she grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go.

"How dare you..." She stepped closer to me, our faces just inches apart. "You have_ no_ right to tell me what to do."

Wow, she sounded like my son when he was about to stomp his feet and throw a fit.

I stood to my full height. "Let me remind you, Ms. Mills, that _I'm_ not the one who is ordering you to do anything; this comes from far above my rank, so if you're pissed off, go yell at _them_."

"I can't; I don't know_ who_ they are." She growled as she grabbed my jacket and pulled me closer. For a moment, I wondered if she was going to punch me; instead she kissed me crushingly hard on the mouth before she shoved me backwards and strode away. "Fuck you, Emma." I heard her whisper.

_What the hell?_ I stood stunned, with my fingers pressed against my tingling lips. as the door to her tent slammed behind her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Falling in the Frey**

Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

I love feedback- It helps me know if I'm on the right track, so please take a moment and let me know what you think!

**Chapter Nineteen**

I stood as a silent sentry for the next few hours; my body was still, but my mind was racing. _Why had Regina kissed me? Well it wasn't like it was a romantic kiss, it was more like an angry kiss_. When the dawn arrived, hailing a new day, I was still perplexed by her actions. _ Just let it go_. I told myself, convinced it was for the best.

Blanchard relieved me of guard duty at 0700 and I headed to the Mess Hall for breakfast. Once again, Ruby found me. "Hey, Emma." She sat down next to me and wiped her hands on her apron. "You free tonight?"

I shrugged. "I am till 2200, what's up?"

"Awesome!" She smiled and clapped her hands. "Two-buck Chuck is DeeJaying in the Rec Hall, wanna go?"

I hesitated, but she grabbed my arm and pleaded. "Please, please, please! Nobody dances like you do." She apparently wasn't above grovelling and using flattery; not that I really needed a lot of convincing to go dancing, even if it was line dances and two-stepping.

I threw up my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. What time do you want to meet?"

"Yay!" She grinned. "Pick me up at 1800 hours; did you bring boots?" She didn't mean the combat kind.

"Uh, no. I packed pretty light this trip."

"No problem, I have that extra pair you borrowed last time! This is going to be so much fun." She squealed.

"Corporal Hood!" I turned to see Captain Lucas, holding a rolling-pin, glaring at Ruby.

"Uh oh, gotta run." She laughed. "See ya tonight."

I watched her walk back to the kitchen, occasionally adding a dance step to her stride. I suddenly felt a lot better; Ruby was fun, Ruby was simple, Ruby was...well, Ruby. Totally and completely different that the Ice Queen that was Regina Mills. I touched my lips again, remembering her mouth crushing mine. This whole thing was going to be more difficult that I thought.

I had gotten a good day's sleep and awoke in the afternoon refreshed. My snooze went off again, and I slapped my watch to silence it. I glanced at the time, relieved that I still had half an hour until my appointment with the psychologist. I dressed and took my time walking to his office in the Admin Building.

I arrived early and walked around in the small waiting room. Looking around, One wall held frames of diplomas, licenses and trainings for_ Doctor Archibald Hopper, Psy.D_. There were two photos of the doctor, one in three piece suit and tie, the other in his officer dress military uniform; the rank of Major on his sleeve. I studied the pictures; he was a mild looking man, with fair skin and wavy auburn hair that receded back into a widow's peak. He wore glasses that added to his dignified look. I didn't have to wait long before the door to his office opened and he stepped out to greet me. Dressed in civilian clothing, he wore dress pants, a tan long-sleeved shirt with a striped tie that complimented his navy blue sweater-vest.

"Master Sergeant Swan?" His soft voice matched his kindly demeanor. He put out his hand and I shook it. "Come on in, I hope you didn't have to wait very long." He gestured towards his office. "Please, sit wherever you are comfortable."

I looked around the office, noticing the choices of chairs; there was a couch that looked pretty comfortable, two leather chairs that sort of faced each other, an office chair that was next to his desk, across from his seat, and one more dark green wingback chair near the door. It sounded like a lot of furniture, but it really didn't seem that way; anyhow it all went nicely with the oak paneled walls and beige carpeting. I picked the couch and eased down into the plush velour comfort. He sat down across from me and, clipboard in hand, started our session.

"I'm Doctor Archie Hopper; you can call me Archie, Doc, Doctor Hopper...whatever you're most comfortable with." He smiled at me as he introduced himself.

_Archie._ I decided as I studied him.

"And can I call you Emma?" He looked at me.

"Sure, Emma's fine." I nodded.

"Great, alright Emma it is." He made a note on his clipboard. "And I need a way to recall the details of our conversation; would you prefer that I make notes or that I tape our discussion? Either way, the information remains confidential and I destroy it once I've reviewed it."

"Taping is fine, if it makes it easier for you." I honestly didn't care.

"Okay, I'll just turn on this tape recorder here." He reached over to his desk and I heard the click. He set his clipboard down and faced me once again. " I've read on your medical record that you had counseling the last time you were here at Camp Azor; I'm sure this will be fairly similar to that experience, though every doctor has their own style."

"Yeah, and that's fine." I was familiar with the routine.

"Well then, let's start by you telling me a bit about yourself. Whatever you want to share is fine."

I thought about it for a moment before starting. I told him about my service history, my son and ex-wife; just the basic facts about me.

He nodded and listened as I talked, but he didn't ask any questions until I was finished. "So, Emma, this is your fifth tour in Freylache?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"From what your team has told me, this one is different than usual. How so?" He held out his hand to encourage me to talk.

"Well, usually my whole squad is here, not just one fire team. We're here for only two months on a Protect and Escort assignment."

"Tell me more about this P&E job."

"Well, we're responsible for guarding a civilian, Regina Mills while she does whatever it is she's doing out here."

"How do you feel about this assignment?"

"It's a pain in the ass; my team's lives are put at risk so she can do company business here in the Frey. And it's hard, ya know. It's different than what I'm used to, which is fine, but I just...it's just different."

He nodded gently and then pushed his glasses up with his finger. "It can be difficult to be given a job you aren't used to; especially out here."

"Yeah." I scratched my arm.

"Emma, let's talk about what happened on your way back from Volpure; will you tell me about what you remember?"

"Sure. We were ordered to leave Volpure early since the Skaru region was no longer in allied control. We were diverted to a mountain road that was pretty narrow. Ms. Mills got car sick, but she didn't puke, thank goodness. Um, we got out of the mountains and a little while later there were two jeep trucks blocking our road. We identified them as rebel soldiers and when they began firing at us, I ordered that we engage them in combat. Staff Sergeant Nolan took out maybe four, or five of them from the turret. I remember one guy had a grenade launcher; Sergeant Blanchard downed him. I fired my M-16 at a two rebels. There were three left and they were still shooting at us and we couldn't go around them, so I ordered Sergeant Graham to ram their vehicles so that we could get out of there safely. By the time we did that, all of the enemies were down. Then Ms. Mills insisted that we go back and get the armored vest from one of their bodies so that we could see who the manufacturer was. We went back and I insisted she stay in the Humzee while I went and got the vest, then we got the hell out of there. We passed an allied checkpoint at the border of the Skaru and Maaru. After that it was a quiet ride back to Camp Azor."

"Okay." He nodded again. "And how are you dealing with having to engage in combat?"

I shrugged. "Alright, I think. I fell apart yesterday." I gave a self deprecating laugh. "But I was tired, and had just come off night guard duty."

"What do you mean by fell apart, Emma?" He looked genuinely concerned, which I appreciated.

"You know, crying, feeling like the world was coming to an end, that kind of stuff." I shuffled my foot in embarrassment.

"And how are you feeling now?"

"Better. I got some sleep and some food, that always helps."

"And how is your team doing, do you think?"

"Well, I haven't seen them too much since we're on rotating shifts. But I know Nolan's angry at Regina for us being here in the Frey. Graham is pretty solid, so I don't worry about him, and Blanchard seems to be doing alright, too. We've been through this kind of stuff before."

"Yes, yes, I read that in your medical history. Are you still having nightmares?" His forehead was furrowed as he asked the question.

"Sometimes." I conceded. "But it's tolerable."

"Well, if you ever_ do_ want to talk about them, know that I'm here to listen." He offered.

"Thanks, Archie, but I hope I don't have to take up any more of your time." I smiled, hoping that I didn't sound mean.

"Understandable." He smiled back. "Well is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"No, not that I can think of." And I honestly couldn't I liked Archie, he was easy to talk to and I think he really did care how I was doing.

"Alright, well, I only have one more question before our time is up." I glanced at my watch and realized we had been talking for twenty-five minutes. "How do you think Ms. Mills is coping with the combat incident?"

"I don't know; she's kinda moody anyhow, so it's hard to tell." I thought back to the kiss and a light bulb went off in my head. She kissed me because she was angry, scared and didn't know any other way to deal with it. "I think she doesn't really have the training to deal with it, not like we do."

"By we, you mean..." He left the sentence for me to finish.

"Military people, soldiers. We're trained for this stuff. She's used to being in control and in a battle, seeing people die, well..." I left the rest unsaid.

"Keep an eye on her, Emma; if you think there's a problem, call me night or day." He handed me his business card; instead of a phone number there was a radio channel. _Number 9._ "That channel is monitored by medical staff twenty-four hours a day. Just let whoever responds know that you need to speak with me and I'll be there for you and for your whole team, including Ms. Mills."

"Thanks Doc." I stuffed the card into my BDU pants pocket. "So what happens now?"

"Now." He stood and went to his desk to look at his calendar. "I have a session with Ms. Mills in twenty-minutes. Once I finish that I'll make an assessment if your team is ready to go back to full duty. You've done this before, right?"

"Yeah, last time we were at Camp Azor." I remembered

"Then you know that it's confidential if someone doesn't get the green light from me. Your team works as one unit and you won't be released until everyone is ready. I'll let Lieutenant Mulan know by 1700 hours if your team is cleared." He stuck his hand out towards me and I shook it. Like him, his hands were soft and comfortable. I don't trust easily, but I found that I trusted him.

"Thanks Archie." I turned back as I walked out his doorway.

"You're welcome Emma." He gave a small smile to me before I turned away and headed down the hallway. I knew that Regina was his last appointment._ God, what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation._ I thought as I exited the building.

...

_"Hello Ms. Mills, I'm Doctor Archibald Hopper." He put out his hand in a friendly gesture. Regina shook it impatiently. _

_"Hello doctor." She responded, irritated at his sweater vest and khaki pants. 'At least dress like you're a doctor.' She snidely thought._

_"Come on in, sit wherever you're comfortable." He gestured to the multiple choices of seats in his office._

_Regina looked at each of them, tempted to take the Doctor's chair at the desk. Instead she walked primly over to the wingback chair and sat down, waiting._

_"Let's go ahead and get started then." He sat across from the brunette, ensuring his chair was an equal height to hers. "You can call me Archie, Doctor Hopper, Doc; whatever you're comfortable with." He watched as she shifted in her chair._

_"Doctor Hopper is fine." She pursed her lips._

_"Okay, Doctor Hopper it is. And can I call you Regina?" He asked gently._

_"I'd prefer you didn't."_

_"Very well, Ms. Mills. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today."_

_"Doctor Hopper, let's not waste each other's time; I need to be able to accomplish my goals while I'm here in Freylache. To do that, I need my team cleared for duty. So what's it going to take to make that happen?" She locked eyes with him_

_He cocked his head. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're implying, Ms. Mills." _

_She rolled her eyes at his confusion. "Ten thousand? Fifty? Just tell me the number and I'll cut you a check."_

_"Ma'am, that's not how it works." He protested._

_"Oh, please; it is exactly how it works. Fine, one hundred thousand dollars in your pocket; that's my final offer." _

_"Again, Ms. Mills this isn't a business transaction; and offering me money is actually offensive. The only way I'll give clearance to you and Master Sergeant Swan's team is if I deem you ready to go back out into the war zone. There are no shortcuts here."_

_Regina closed her eyes, trying to let the anger roll away. _

_"Ms. Mills for the next twenty-six minutes we will be in session. In order to recall the details of our conversation, I can either jot down notes as we talk, or I can tape the session; whichever is more comfortable for you."_

_"Do whatever." She huffed._

_"Okay, then I'll just turn on the tape here, and we can talk." He leaned over to his desk and clicked the recorder to on. "Tell me a bit about yourself Ms. Mills; whatever you'd like to share..."_

_Regina glared at the man; his voice grated on her nerves like the sound of cicadas or grasshoppers. _ 'Cricket'_ she dubbed him in her mind._

_Archie sat back and waited, but the woman didn't say a word. The ticking of the clock was the loudest noise in the room. "Ms. Mills, let's skip the introductory part and just get to the heart of the matter._

_"Fine, what do you need to know." She asked as she looked at the potted green ivy on the shelf of the bookcase. _

_"I understand, from the other members of the team that you had an incident coming back to Camp Azor from Volpure. Tell me what you recall from that trip."_

_"Well, Doctor...I had just finished a business meeting when Blanchard interrupted and insisted that we leave as soon as possible. Master Sergeant Swan rushed me and we ran to the SUV. Graham drove too fast and Swan was too impatient when we got to the gate of the estate property; she ordered him to run it over, and he did. We were sent on an awful mountain road that was too narrow and very steep and windy. I got nauseous and Swan fussed over me. We finally made it down into the flat-lands and I felt better."_

_"Go on." He urged._

_"Well, then we had, as you called it, and incident; fortunately nobody was hurt. I insisted we retrieve one of the vests so that I could see the manufacturer brand. Once we had that, we drove for a couple hours, went through blockade after blockade to get back to Camp Azor, at which point I was interrogated for two hours. That's what happened."_

_"Anything else you can remember?" He asked._

_She shook her head 'no'_

_He waited to see if anything more was forthcoming, but Regina was finished._

_"Ms. Mills, thank you for your time today." He stood and shook her hand. "I'll let Lieutenant Mulan and Master Sergeant Swan know by five o'clock what my decision is."_

_Staff Sergeant Nolan stood when the door to the office opened and he waited for Regina to exit. He greeted her and walked with her out of the Doctor's office and back to the meeting room where Private Aurora Phillips and Corporal Ashley Boyd were diligently cataloging the day's requisition forms. Nolan sat down in the back of the room and guarded, bored out of his mind._

...

I looked at my watch once again 1525; I had hoped to hear from Lieutenant Mulan about Doctor Hopper's recommendation. I headed towards the Admin building, hoping I could find her and get the results. I saw her walking with Archie as I got closer to the building. They noticed me too, and Mulan called me over.

"Lieutenant, Doctor Hopper." I greeted them.

"Hello Master Sergeant." Archie smiled at me. "I was just speaking to the Lieutenant about your team."

He turned to Mulan. "I'll leave you two alone to discuss this. I hope you both have a nice evening, looks like it's going to be nice weather tonight." It struck me as an odd thing to say, considering he had his umbrella at his side.

"Master Sergeant." Mulan started walking again, so I fell into step with her. "Your team is still on restricted duty. Each of you will meet daily with the Doctor until you are all cleared."

I tried to hide my disappointment. The longer we were restricted to Camp Azor, the longer it would take for this mission to be completed. I just wanted to get it over and done with so we could get safely back home. "Understood." I nodded.

"Your appointment times will be the same as they were today; make sure you let your team know. And I'll meet with just you tomorrow morning at 0800 hours. Have a good night."

"You, too Lieutenant." I walked away in search of my team. I broke the news to Blanchard and Graham. They were both disappointed, too, but understood. This was out of my control; even I didn't know which, or how many of us, failed the evaluation.

I found Nolan and Ms. Mills as they were heading back to her barracks. Nolan's reaction mirrored the rest of my teams, but Regina wasn't quite as understanding.

'Who failed?" She demanded, her eyes dark with anger.

Blanchard and Graham had joined us by this point and it was Mary Margaret who answered. "That's not a question we ask."

'Well, I'm asking it." Regina snapped at her.

"Look, it doesn't matter, we could have all failed. What matters is that Doctor Hopper doesn't think we're all ready to go back out there. It's for our own good." Blanchard tried to reason with Ms. Mills.

Regina looked at each of us, her anger burning brightly in her eyes. "I swear to God, if_ any_ of you are doing this on purpose just so the mission gets canceled and we have to go back early...I will make your life a living hell, if it's the _last thing_ I do. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

I stepped between Regina and Blanchard. If she was going to threaten anybody, it was going to be me; she didn't scare me in the least and I was itching for a fight. "Stand down, Mills. You ever threaten any of my team again, I _will_ come after you! Because Lady, you have no idea what_ I'm_ capable of." We stood toe to toe, fists clenched and eyes steeled.

"Alright, that's enough." Graham interceded. "Master Sergeant Swan, I'm sure you have things to do. I've got the guard until 2200. Ms. Mills, please come with me."

Regina gave me one last, hard glare before she spun around and followed Graham.

_God that woman was going to be the death of me!_


	20. Chapter 20

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary:** (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

**Pairings**:Emma/Regina (eventually)

**Disclaimers**:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

**A/N**: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

As a thank you to everyone who has read, followed or favorited this story- and especially to those who take a moment of time to post a comment, I give you a chapter with over 5000 words :D I really hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter Twenty**

I tried to put the whole day out of my mind; I had a dance to get ready for, and I'd be damned if I was going to let Regina or this stupid job get me down. Thankfully I remembered to pack a pair of blue jeans and a couple tank tops. I picked out the white tank and slipped it on, enjoying the freedom from BDUs and armor. It was a warmer night than usual, but I put on my BDU jacket so I wouldn't stand out on my way to pick up Ruby. I got to her barracks a bit early, so I sat on her bed and watched her finish putting on her make-up. When she was on-duty, she kept it to a minimum, but off duty, she really went all out.

"I'm all set!" She turned and gave me a wink and a wide smile. "You ready to shake your bootie?"

I laughed at her enthusiasm as I pulled on the cowboy boots she lent me. "Yes, ma'am, I'm ready." I offered her my arm and we walked over to the Rec Hall. The crowd was decent, considering no alcohol was allowed on base. But, liquor or not, people needed a chance to relax and enjoy some music. Most of the soldiers were in their BDUs, sitting at the tables on the outskirts of the large tent. The Canteen was open, selling sodas, juices and snacks. The smell of popcorn wafted through the air as Ruby and I found an open table near the dance floor.

Ruby went to go order us each a soda, so I sat and looked around at the growing crowd. The DJ was still setting up, his equipment wasn't much to brag about, but it would get the job done. "Two-buck Chuck" as the DJ was dubbed, was here on a one year tour. I remember talking to him my last time here at Camp and found out he was from a city where I once lived as a teenager. He was two years ahead of me in school, but knew my foster family, though I didn't remember him. Small world for such a big country.

He tapped the microphone a couple of times, the thump resonating throughout the Hall. "Good evening everyone, hope you're here to have a good time, listen to some great music and even maybe grab a partner and get out here on the dance floor." He started playing an older country song; Ruby grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the area designated for dancing. It was a two-step, so we joined the small ring of dancers, stepping and dancing in rhythm with the song.

We danced two more tunes until the song changed to a line dance; Ruby stayed out on the floor, she knew the song and the dance that went with it. I watched from our table as she and another twenty soldiers slapped their boots and jumped in sync with each other. It was fun to watch, but line dancing wasn't really my thing.

My ex, Kelly, loved line dancing, too; she was the one to introduce me to it and to country two-stepping. We spent almost every Saturday night in some local honky-tonk, drinking and dancing our hearts out. I tried to teach her how to do a simple waltz, but she wasn't interested, so I stopped trying and stuck to her kind of dancing. I got pretty damned good at it too, and if Kelly was taking a break, there was always a small group of women wanting to put their name on my dance card. Kelly would just laugh and encourage me to dance with them; sometimes a man would ask her to dance and she always accepted. She said it was different, being with a guy, but she always assured me that I was her favorite dance partner. And I was, until towards the end of our marriage, when I wasn't I still see her and Maria sometimes when I take a date out to go dancing. We usually all hang out together and have a good time. Like I said, she is a great mom to Henry, a lousy spouse to me, but ended up being a damn fine friend.

The line dance ended and Ruby swaggered over to our table. "Thanks." She yelled over the music; I had gone outside to cool off, and on my way back to the table, I had gotten us each a bottle of water; dancing can make you danged thirsty. She chugged the water gone and then cocked her head to the dance floor. "Ready to go again?" Ruby was...and insatiable dancer; She had the energy and the strength to go all night long. We both knew we would leave each other spent, but neither of us could resist.

...

_"Where is everyone going?" Regina noticed the groups of soldiers, some in civilian attire, as they headed down the side road._

_"Must be a dance tonight." Sergeant Graham looked and saw the gathering at the Recreation Hall. "I hear they have a DJ a couple times a month; I've never actually been in camp when it happened, we've always been out on patrol."_

_It was then that Regina's ears were assaulted by the sounds of fiddles and steel guitars. _

_"Did you want to go, Ms. Mills?" He gestured towards the large building._

_She was about to tell him 'Absolutely not.' when she caught sight of Emma coming out of the door. She stared at the blonde, noticing her tight jeans and white tank top. _

_"Ms. Mills?" Graham's voice broke through._

_She smiled and took his arm. "Let me change into something more appropriate, then I'd love to dance with you."_

_He escorted her back to her quarters and waited outside while she changed; fifteen minutes later she emerged in designer jeans, a burgundy silk top and a pair of black flats. "Ready when you are." She once again took his arm and allowed him to lead her to the Rec Hall._

_Her eyes narrowed when she spied Emma and the brunette sitting together and laughing. Regina was repulsed as the other woman gulped the water bottle down; she became irritated when the woman smiled at the blonde, and she became angry when Emma took the woman's hand and led her to the dance floor. _

_"Would you like to sit down, Ms. Mills?" Graham pulled out a chair at a newly emptied table that was near the dance floor. _

_She looked at the genteel man and offered a tight smile. "Thank you Sergeant. Would you mind getting us a couple of waters?" She pulled a crisp ten-dollar bill out of her jeans pocket and handed it to him._

_"Of course." He nodded and walked to the Canteen. _

_With Graham no longer hovering over her, Regina set her sights on Emma and her partner. She had never seen this type of dancing before; her mother would have forbade her to learn such a dance, claiming it was for commoners, not for someone of their stature. _

_The dance was interesting; like a waltz, it required the partners to not only dance with each other, but to move in sync with the ring of other dancers. She watched the other couples as they, too, moved within the line of dancers. Studying the footwork of the dancers, she began to understand the different postures and positions of the dance itself._

_"Here you go ma'am." Graham returned and offered her one of the waters, as well as her change._

_"Do you know how to do this dance?" She asked him._

_"Not very well, I'm afraid; people from my part of the Republic dance a bit differently. Now, if you ever need someone to dance a jig..." He smiled at his joke. "Hey, I didn't know Emma and Ruby would be here." He watched as the women twirled by their table._

_Regina pressed her lips together tightly; Emma didn't notice her at all, her hazel eyes were locked onto Ruby's brown ones as they moved like they had danced together for ages. The businesswoman took a sip of her water and watched with narrowed eyes as Emma and Ruby danced by again. Three dances later, she had had enough, she took Graham's arm, intending to force him to dance. Just as she did, the song changed and she saw more people joining the floor, this time in lines, dancing alone. _

_"Sorry, my line dancing is worse than my two-step." he apologized. Just then he saw Emma leave the dance floor. "Hey, let's go join Emma." He picked up both water bottles and headed over to the blonde's table; reluctantly Regina followed. There were three empty chairs at the table, so Graham pulled one out and sat down, leaving Regina standing. She grimaced at his lack of manners before sitting down on the chair across from Emma._

_Graham chucked. Emma hadn't noticed them joining her, so he clasped her shoulder. "Master Sergeant!" _

...

In my defense, I really didn't mean to hit Graham; it's just he ambushed me, and he totally should have known better than to surprise me like that. Instinct kicked in and before I knew it, my elbow connected with his jaw. "Sergeant, I am so sorry!" I apologized, feeling guilty that he was rubbing his jaw and working his mouth.

"No, no, I'm okay, I shouldn't have surprised you." He grimaced as he talked.

I heard the sultry voice and watched as Ms. Mills reached out and ran the back of her hand over his cheek. "You should get some ice for that." She purred.

"She's probably right, Graham." I couldn't help but glare at her hand touching him.

"Alright, I'll be right back." He stood and left to find ice.

"That was quite a swing, Master Sergeant." Regina's eyebrow was quirked in amusement.

I shrugged. "Instinct." I finally looked at what she was wearing. Why, why, why did she have to be so damned gorgeous? It wasn't fair that someone so smoking hot on the outside was made of ice on the inside. "You look really nice." I managed to say without tripping over my words.

"Thank you." She gave me a small smile.

We sat there, in awkward silence, before I turned my attention back to the dancers.

"Why aren't you dancing?" She asked, and I focused again on her.

"I don't line dance; there's always a new song that has specific choreograped moves. I'm not really interested in that." I know that I sounded like a dance snob, but I didn't care. Some people love to line dance, I just wasn't one of them.

"Ruby's quite good at them." Regina noted as we both watched the dancers swing their hips and then pretend to howl at the moon.

"She loves any kind of country dancing." I nodded as the dancers restarted the choreographed moves to the song. I watched her dance for a few more minutes before the song finally ended. Just as she was heading back to our table, a tall guy tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to dance. She shrugged at me and I just waved her on; I didn't blame the guy, Ruby was really fun to dance with.

"Would you care to dance?" I asked Regina, figuring that was why she was wearing civilian clothing.

"I don't know this dance." She shrugged.

"Yeah, but you're a great dancer." I stroked her ego, hoping to talk her into trying it out. "Anyways, I'll keep it simple at first, till you get the hang of it. It's a progressive dance, like a waltz, I'm sure you'll be fine." I gave her, what I hoped, was an encouraging smile.

"Very well." She acquiesced. "Perhaps_ one_ dance."

I took her by the hand and lead her to the floor. We waited for a gap in the line and joined the circle. True to my word, I kept it simple at first, letting her get the feel of the basic step of the dance. _Quick, quick, slow, slow_. The four steps were repeated over and over. Soon, she was dancing smoothly to my lead and I began to add some fancier moves. As before, she followed every cue and quickly picked up on different positions, like the sweetheart, the promenade and the shadow. Towards the end of the song, I cued her into the wrap position, a move that had us dancing closely side by side, with no space between our bodies. The song ended and I reluctantly cued her back into our original stance, facing each other, with her dancing backwards. I looked over and noticed Ruby had a new partner. "Care to keep going?" I asked.

Regina smiled brightly at me and nodded. I grinned back, probably looking like an idiot, as I placed my one hand back on her hip and the other in her hand, leading her in the new song. We danced three more dances in a row; each time I looked at Ruby and she had a new partner, so Regina and I keep going.

The more we danced, the softer her smile became and she started to seem like she was truly happy. As I made our dance progressively more complex, she followed my cues instinctively. Her body was made to dance and, at that moment, mine was made for hers. We fit so well together that it was hard to imagine dancing with another woman ever again. Dancing made the Ice Queen melt, leaving behind a very beautiful and vulnerable woman. I looked into her deep brown eyes and knew right then that I had it bad for her.

Two-buck Chuck turned on his microphone as the song ended. "Alright folks, time for the last dance. Let's slow it down a bit and finish up nice and easy.

I released Regina's hand, missing the warmth immediately. "Custom dictates you dance the last dance with the one who brought you." I explained. I could see her walls go immediately back up as she nodded and left the dance floor. I looked over at Graham, who was still nursing his jaw, and pointedly cocked my head towards Regina. He took the hint and asked her to dance. I was glad to see that Regina accepted Graham's offer, too, at least she wouldn't be left out.

Ruby came up and smiled.. "You saved the last dance for me?"

"Of course I did." I said as I took her in my arms. Ruby was fun to dance with, but my heart just wasn't in it. As we slowly swayed to the music she looked at me and smiled sadly.

"Looks like you have a new dance partner." She nodded towards Regina.

I shook my head. "Awww. you know I adore you Ruby." I pulled her closer and let our bodies meld together. She relaxed, putting her head on my shoulder, and moved with me to the music.

"Will you come home with me?" She whispered in my ear. Home, being her barracks.

"I can't." I hated to make her sad. "I have guard duty for the night." At least it wasn't a lie, even if it was a convenient way out of her offer.

"Oh, I didn't know." She smiled at me again and we both knew that I wouldn't have come home with her anyways. The dance ended and as we pulled apart, she held on and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "You'll always have a spot on my dance card."

I pulled her back into a hug. "And you'll always have one on mine, too." I looked at my watch and noticed I had fifteen minutes until I had to take guard duty. I found Graham and told him I was going to change into uniform and be there to relieve him as soon as I could.

"You might want to consider a shower, too, Swan." He tousled my sweat-drenched hair. "The enemy could smell ya ten miles away if you don't." He teased.

"Thanks, Sergeant." I appreciated him letting me take a few extra minutes to clean up. "I'll be there in no more than thirty minutes." It took me less than twenty for me to shower, dress in my BDUs, grab my weapons and make it for guard duty.

I got to Regina's tent and relieved Graham of the guard. Before taking up my post, I knocked on the door of her barrack.

"Sergeant Graham?"

"No, ma'am, it's Master Sergeant Swan."

She cracked opened the door enough so that we could talk. My heart broke a little when I saw she was back to her icy demeanor. "What can I do for you?" She asked me, her voice and face empty of emotion.

"I wanted to thank you for dancing with me tonight." I gave her a hopeful smile. "And to apologize about the last dance."

"No need to apologize, after all custom dictated it." _Oh shit she wasn't happy._

"Even so, if you'd like to dance now, I'd like to make it up to you"

For a moment it could have gone either way. "Not tonight, Miss Swan. Just do your job and keep me safe." And with that she shut the door on me.

The quiet night dragged on until finally the sun began to rise and my watch was nearly over. Nolan relieved my at 0700, looking well rested and happy. "How was the dance last night?" He asked as we made small talk. We both kept our voices down, trying to not wake Regina.

"Good. Really fun actually." I gave him a knowing look. "I noticed neither you nor Blanchard were there."

"Yeah, well...we were dancing together, just not to music." He blushed.

"As long as you're both rested and ready to work today." I didn't care if they slept together and they both knew it.

"Very ready, what's the plan?" He relaxed, realizing he wasn't in trouble.

"I'll know more once I meet with the Lieutenant. I do know we all meet with Doctor Hopper again, same times as yesterday."

"He seems like a nice guy; easy to talk to." He shrugged.

"Yeah, I thought so too." Both Nolan and I had been though a fair amount of counseling and it was nothing for us to tell the shrink our stories. I liked Archie a lot better than the psychiatrist we had to see on our last tour._ Maybe I could talk to him about my dreams._ I didn't like to go into details of them, but Archie seemed alright in my book and since we had to be in counseling until everybody on the team was cleared, I figured might as well see if he could help me out.

"Well, I have the guard." Nolan confirmed.

"Thank you David, you have the guard." I was grateful my shift was over and I could grab some breakfast before meeting with Mulan. The mess hall was busy and I finally got to the head of the line after fifteen minutes.

"Hiya, Swan." Ruby gave me her usual grin.

"Hiya back." I smiled at her. "What's for breakfast?"

"Hang on." She pulled me out of the line before she disappeared into the back for a moment. When she came back out, she had a giant bear claw on a plate. "Captain Lucas let us make these for the kitchen staff, so I saved you one." She offered me the pastry.

"Oh my God, Rubes, you're awesome!" I hugged her with my free arm.

"I know. Your loss you didn't come over last night." She said softly so only I could hear.

"Don't I know it." I laughed.

"Seriously, Em, we always said no strings attached; I still mean that." She kissed me on the cheek. "Now go eat that before it gets cold." She turned from me and served a glob of scrambled eggs to the next soldier in line.

I was ten minutes early to meet with Lieutenant Mulan. I waited in the hallway and took the time to actually study the different maps and charts on the walls. There was a large map marked_ Current Status._ It showed the entire map of Freylache and the bordering countries. I found Camp Azor in the lower right part of the Frey, in the Maaru region. The region was colored blue, to help designate it from the other colored regions. I hovered my hand over the map and found each of the ten outlying Combat Outposts; I had been posted at three of them during my last four one had between sixty to one-hundred soldiers assigned to it at any given time. Most of the soldiers' time would be patrolling and protecting the nearby towns, as I had done many times as part of an attachment from Fort Brookes.

I silently read the names:_ Braddy, Carile, Delanach, Eisen, Fiensot, Gareth, Harding, Isler, Jutusan and Kelling._ Four of the Outposts were currently unoccupied, a stamp over them stating "abandoned"; they now laid in the territories controlled by the enemy forces. According our itinerary, we were scheduled to go to six of the seven that were still operational. The other one, Combat Outpost Fiensot, was too dangerous to reach; after our incident on the way home from Volpure, I was really hoping we wouldn't have to engage in any more combat.

"Master Sergeant Swan." I turned to find the Lieutenant standing in her doorway, waiting for me.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Mulan." I greeted her as I entered her small office.

"How is your team taking the news that they are restricted to Camp Azor until further notice?" She flipped through a file as she asked the question.

"Alright, I think. Ms. Mills isn't happy about it though."

"That's no surprise, she's a very..." Mulan searched for the right word. _"...focused_ woman."

Now she was just being nice. Truth was if I hadn't seen the light in Regina's eyes when we danced, I would've questioned if the woman even had a soul. "Focused is one word for her." I agreed.

"Well, I know she has some business to tend to on base, she can keep occupied with that until your team is cleared. Keep your guard schedule as it is and make sure each of your team visits with Doctor Hopper daily until this is all settled."

She stood and went over to the computer monitor. "There's something I want to show you, the Intelligence Division sent it to me this morning and authorized you to view it also. However, it goes no further than this room, understood Master Sergeant?"

"Understood, Lieutenant." I leaned forward in my chair and watched as the screen read_ loading disk_. The screen blinked a couple of times before it showed a split screen image; on the right side was Regina sitting in what looked like one of the conference rooms here in the building. The other was of an older, more severe looking woman who appeared to be in an office. Mulan paused the disk with the remote and pointed at the unfamiliar woman.

"This video conference was intercepted last night and recorded by the Intelligence Division. The woman on the left side of the screen is Cora Mills, Regina's mother. She is the CEO of Mills Combat Vestments."

"So as COO, Regina is actually lower ranked than her mother?" I tried to understand the command structure.

"Yes, Regina appears to control the day-to-day functions of the business, but Cora makes the final decisions that affect the company. Think of her as a General and Regina as a rank below her, like a Colonel."

"Okay, got it. What about Regina's dad, Henry?" I remembered meeting him the night of the formal dinner at Camp Brookes.

"Mr. Mills is shown as the legal co-owner of the company, along with his wife; but from what the Intelligence Division has shared with me, he is more of a figurehead than an actual player in the company. He appears to be in more of a public relations position: making business connections, playing golf, taking clients to dinner, those sorts of activities, but he doesn't seem to be involved in the actual business decisions for the company.

"Those are left to Cora and Regina?" I was still wrapping my head around the whole thing.

"Yes, though from what has been discovered so far, it appears Regina's power is fairly limited and nothing happens without her mother's approval."

She turned the tape back on and I watched the video conference as it played on the screen.

...

_Cora Mills was clearly not pleased that Regina had insisted on a conference call. Her face was pinched, her forehead furrowed as she turned and faced the camera to see her daughter._

_Regina was nervous, she knew it was a risk to demand anything of her Mother; but she felt isolated and alone, away from the familiarities of the Republic and the business. "Mother, thank you for agreeing to meet with me." Regina tried to give her a small smile, but the gesture was not returned._

_"Regina." Cora shook her head in dismay. "I have ten minutes to spare, so make it quick."_

_"Alright." Regina gulped, trying to moisten her dry mouth. '_Why didn't I remember to bring a bottle of water' she wondered to herself._ " I wanted to make sure that the check for one million dollars was sent to Killian Jones as I promised."_

_Her mother mockingly laughed. "Did you really think that I would allow three million dollars of my hard-earned cash to just be sent to Mr. Jones? No, Regina, I stopped payment on the check immediately."_

_"But Mother, I promised him the money in return for the MCV armor he possessed."_

_"You should have discussed that with me dear, before you made such a rash decision."_

_"You're right, of course." Regina hated when her mother made her feel like an idiot; still, she pressed on. "But it's imperative that we get those vests back from him; our contract with the Army could be voided if they knew..."_

_Cora cut her off with a voice filled with disdain. "Don't you__** ever**__ presume to tell me what is imperative. You always think you know what's best, but time and time again you choose to make decisions that I am forced to then clean up."_

_"Mother, I'm sorry..."_

_I know, Regina, you're always sorry." She sighed deeply. "I just wish you could trust me. You only see a small part of the picture, my dear, and that limits your ability to understand why I sometimes have to do the things I do." Her face softened in affection for her humbled daughter._

_"I'd like to understand what's going on." Regina had shrunk back in her seat, fear in her eyes._

_"My darling, someday you will; but trust me I'm only doing what's best for you and for the company."_

_"Thank you Mother."_

_"Of course my dear. Now don't worry about the Killian Jones situation, I'll take care of it directly; you have enough going on being in that awful place to have to add that mess to your plate."_

_"I understand." Regina felt the strength sap from her body._

_"I have to go now darling." Cora reached out and nearly touched the screen. "If you need anything please call Sydney, he'll relay the information to me. I love you sweetheart." The left side of the monitor went black._

_"I love you too, Mother." Regina said softly, before turning off her camera._

...

"That was weird." I said as Mulan turned the monitor off.

"You have a gift for the understatement." Lieutenant Mulan sat down at her desk. she pushed a sealed manila envelope towards me; it had my name on the cover. I undid the seal and pulled out the small packet of papers.

_Subject: Regina Coralina Mills_

_Position: Chief Operating Officer_

_Business Name: Mills Combat Vestments, Inc. (A subsidiary of Mills Global Corporation)_

_Be advised Subject has met in person with Killian H. Jones, President of Quantum Vestment Distributors. Killian H. Jones is a known Enemy of the Republic. His crimes include:_

_Rep. Penal Code § 20B.09, Trafficking of Weapons to Enemy Combatants_

_Rep. Penal Code § 20B.13, Trafficking of Vehicular Weapons to Enemy Combatants_

_Rep. Penal Code § 20B.17, Trafficking of Defensive/Protective Armament to Enemy Combatants_

_Due to the ongoing and serious nature of his crimes, Captain Killian H. Jones has been determined to be a Traitor to the Republic. If he is captured within the boundaries of Republic, he will be sentenced and executed for his crimes._

_It has not been determined, at this time, if the Subject, Regina Coralina Mills is cooperating with or knowingly engaging in business transactions with Killian H. Jones. Subjects status will be updated as more information becomes available._

_Lamar F. Zaros_

_Secretary of Defense_

Attached to the letter was a wanted poster for Killian H. Jones. Three photos of him, one in his military uniform, one in a business suit and one in casual clothing, were displayed on the top. Below his photos were the details. His crimes were listed out as well as a warning that he was considered armed and very dangerous.

"Why didn't we know any of this before we were sent to Volpure?" I demanded, angry that we had been put in harm's way from the beginning. "We could have taken him out, or at least arrested him."

"I understand your frustration, Swan; but we didn't _know_ Ms. Mills' intentions when we found out the itinerary included a trip to Volpure. As it's a neutral country, there is no crime in visiting it. General Marcos himself gave the green light for the trip; the Intelligence Division wanted to know who she would meet with; they had no idea it would be Mr. Jones." She tried to explain their motives.

"What happens now?"

"Once your team is cleared, then you resume the planned itinerary. All of Ms. Mills' video conferences, phone calls and emails are being monitored by the Intelligence Division. They pass over information on a need to know basis."

"Does _she_ know?" I knew the answer even as I asked it.

"No, but the forms she signed included the express authorization for the Army to monitor all communications. I only hope for Regina's sake that she isn't knowingly selling armor to Killian Jones."

"What if she is?" I feared the worse.

"Then she will be convicted as a Traitor to the Republic."

"And executed?" My heart sank.

"Yes, once she returns to the Republic." She confirmed gravely.

My commitment to my country demanded that I prove if she was guilty; but my heart prayed that I could prove her innocence.

"Then I will find out the _truth_, one way or another." I promised.


	21. Chapter 21

**Falling in the Frey**

Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

I have a beta! (Does a happy dance) A big thanks to _Elodealeaf,_ who has volunteered to beta this story (I've already learned so much from her.)

Thanks again to everyone who reads, follows or favorites this tale. And a very big thank you to those who take a moment and post a comment, even as a guest. Your feedback is so important! It helps me know if I'm on track or gone off the rails. lol

**Chapter Twenty-one**

The next few days went by in a routine; I went and caught some sleep after my 0800 meeting with Lieutenant Mulan, then woke in time to dress and make my appointment time with Doctor Hopper. After that, I worked on a variety of paperwork, cleaned my weapons, went for a three mile run and visited the canteen in the rec hall to hang out with Ruby until it was time for my night guard duty at 2200. I had nine hours of guarding the increasingly withdrawn and sullen Regina Mills, followed by Nolan relieving me at 0700, grabbing breakfast and meeting with Lieutenant Mulan at 0800.

I had asked the Lieutenant at our last meeting who the hold-up was for my team to get cleared.

She looked straight at me. "Master Sergeant, you know that's confidential information."

"Yes, I'm aware. It's just that my team's getting antsy."

"Well, between you and me, I'll just say that Ms. Mills is her own worst enemy." She confirmed my suspicions; my team had been cleared, but Regina had not.

That afternoon, at my meeting with Archie, I was determined to see if there was anything I could do to help Regina.

"Emma, come on in." Doctor Hopper welcomed me into his office for our session. "How are you doing today?" he asked as I sat down in my usual spot on the couch.

"Doin' alright, doc. How's your day going?" I relaxed in the soft cushion. I had decided I really liked talking to Archie.

"Well, it's been interesting." He softly laughed. "I've been spending quite a bit of time with your team."

I laughed at that. "Well aren't _you_ lucky?"

"So what would you like to talk about today, Emma?"

I paused, deciding which topic I wanted to tackle first. " We've been meeting for a few days now, Archie, and there are a couple things I'd kinda like to talk about."

"Please, go ahead." He encouraged.

I blew out a breath. Planning on talking about it and actually talking about it were two different things. "Alright...so you know I have bad dreams, right?" I tried to ease into this, for my sake more than his.

"Yes, I've read your former psych evaluations and the doctor's notes. I'm sure this isn't easy to talk about, but know that I'm here to help you."

"Yeah, so okay..." _ Damn this was tough. _

"Take your time Emma, there's no hurry." He sat back.

"Okay, I have nightmares. Not all the time," I added quickly, "just sometimes when I'm really tired, or stressed, or fall asleep by myself..."

"Alright, so let's start by you telling my some of the details of your dreams; are they usually the same, or does it change?"

"Always the same." I said flatly. "I just have the same memory over and over."

"So your dream is actually something that happened?"

"Yeah, pretty much; it happened last tour."

"What happened last time you were in the Frey?"

" You've read the report."

"I have; but it's important that I hear your version from you." He gave a reassuring smile. "Sometimes the official report doesn't give many details."

I sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the clock's second hand tick by; finally I broke the silence. "My squad was part of a Company that was deployed on a one year tour of duty. We were all assigned to Combat Outpost Isler, in the Fyrith region. I had three fire teams under my command, with four soldiers in each fire team. Anyways, we had been patrolling a small town not too far from Fyrith, but Captain Stone, our Commanding Officer, he reassigned us to a different village that was another half hour from the Outpost. We had to travel there in three jeeps everyday; thirty minutes there, thirty minutes back." I opened the bottle of water that Archie had set on the table next to me and took a couple sips to help ease my cottonmouth.

Setting the bottle back down, I continued. "So, we'd been doing this for over three weeks; everyday the same thing. Same route, same road, same time; I tried to get the Captain to let us vary things, I was worried we'd become an easy target for the local insurgent forces. But he wouldn't listen to me; he said he had been doing this a hell of alot longer than I had, and that when I was a Captain, I could make the hard decisions." I licked my dry lips and willed my leg to quit shaking. "One morning, we headed out, the twelve of us in three jeeps. I was in the middle jeep with my fire-team when our caravan was ambushed." I felt the hot tears rolling down my cheeks. "I'm sorry." I apologized.

"You're doing great, Emma." Archie passed me a box of tissues. I took a moment to wipe my eyes and blow my nose. There wasn't a trash can that I could see, so I just stuffed the tissues in my pocket.

"The first jeep ran over the IED; they never stood a chance. We managed to get their dogtags, but that's all." I could feel the tears falling freely again, but this time I just angrily wiped them away and continued talking. "My jeep was caught in the wave from the explosion and we rolled twice, landing on the jeep's top. All I could see was smoke and all I could hear was screaming and machine guns; I undid my seat belt and fell to the ground. It hurt so bad; I didn't know my leg was broken, I just knew I needed to find my team. The last jeep pulled off the road and managed to return fire at the insurgents. Eventually the insurgents were all eliminated. I lost five of my soldiers that day, and two more that were badly injured. That's pretty bad odds considering there were only twelve of us."

"How did you get back to the Outpost?" Archie leaned forward.

"Once the fighting was over, I ordered the able-bodied soldiers to find the missing ones. I pulled myself back into the jeep and found the radio to call it in. It felt like forever, but the record says it was less than an hour before the medics arrived to help."

"Emma, I know that wasn't easy for you to talk about. You did a great job, and if you want to stop there, we can."

"Archie, I just want the nightmares to go away." I blew my nose again, trying to clear it..

He pushed his glasses back up on his face. "Tell me about your dreams. How are they different than the story you just shared with me?"

I considered the question for a moment. "A lot of it's the same, like the smells and the sounds. In my dream though, I always find the driver of my jeep; his head's half blown away and I touch his warm, sticky blood. The dream always ends with my leg feeling like it's on fire, and then I scream and wake up."

"Did the driver of your jeep die in the battle?"

"No, Corporal Leroy was the driver; he caught shrapnel in his back and is disabled, but he lived." I realized_ that_ part of my dream wasn't right.

"Emma, every time we recall a memory, our brain changes it a little. And the subconscious, where the dreams come from, well, there's a lot going on in that part of the brain. I'd like you to try something that I've found can be effective."

"Alright, as long as it doesn't involve needles." I knew I was supposed to be a soldier, all tough and warrior-like, but truth was even the thought of getting a shot caused me to be nauseous.

"No needles, I promise," his soft voice assured me. "Part of why nightmares can be so scary is that as the dreamer, we feel out of control of what's going to happen."

That made sense to me.

"But there's been good success in trials where people are taught to prepare for the dream so they can better control it. Is that something you're willing to try?" He asked earnestly.

"Yeah, why not?" I nodded, eager at the chance to get rid of the dream.

"Then I want you to write down the dream, but leave out the hard parts; like the pain in your leg and finding Corporal Leroy dead." He glanced up at the clock. "I have to end our session, but if you're willing to hang around, I'll see you for five minutes after my next session is over."

I accepted the pad of paper and pencil that he offered me.. "One more thing, Archie. Is there anything I can do to help Ms. Mills? I know this can't be easy on her; she's becoming more and more withdrawn and barely even speaks to any of us."

Doctor Hopper gave me a quick, small smile. "Let me think about that for a bit." He stood and showed me out. I realized that my session had run over it's time limit when I saw Blanchard and Regina waiting to meet with Dr. Hopper. "Ms. Mills." Archie greeted her. "Thank you for waiting, come on in."

Wordlessly, Regina stood and entered the doctor's office. I sat down next to Blanchard and asked how her day was going.

"Oh, the usual, you know? Have you heard anything about when we're going to be off restrictions?"

"No, hopefully it'll be soon though. I know everyone's getting anxious to have work to do." I realized I was going to be there for the next forty-five minutes. "Hey, I have to stay anyways, why don't you go relax while is in with Archie and come back to pick her up?"

"Are you sure?" Her eyes twinkled and I realized that Nolan was off-duty at the moment.

"Yeah, yeah, go. I'm just going to sit here and work on this." I showed her my blank pad of paper.

"Well you don't have to ask me twice! I'll be back before she's finished. God knows I'd never hear the end of it if she had to wait two minutes for me." She stood, giving me one last questioning look. I waved her on with a smile. Truth was, I really didn't want anyone hovering over me while I worked on writing down the details of my dream.

I wasn't sure if Doctor Hopper's office was soundproof or if they were just talking softly; either way, I couldn't hear noises coming from the room. I was curious as to what she would be saying to him, but I decided it would be kind of impolite to go and press my ear against the door. Still, my interest was piqued.

...

_"Good afternoon Ms. Mills, it's good to see you again." Doctor Hopper smiled at the haughty woman as she looked at him with disdain. He ignored the look and offered her a beverage; she declined as she gracefully sat in the wingback chair and smoothly crossed her legs. Her arms settled on the armrests and she looked very intimidating. Archie sat in his usual seat, notepad in hand. Perhaps today would be the day she would open up. From her posture he knew she wouldn't, but he had to try._

_"So, Ms. Mills, how are you today?" Again, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose._

_"Bored." She flicked an imaginary piece of lint off her pants, hoping to stave off his questions._

_"It was nice to see you at the dance last night." He had joined some friends in the Rec Hall. He didn't dance, but it was always enjoyable to hang out and enjoy the music._

_A small, unbidden smile came to her lips as she thought of Emma teaching her the two-step. "Yes, I enjoyed the dancing." _

_"Good." He returned the smile. "It's important to do things you enjoy. What other kinds of things do you enjoy doing?"_

_The smile disappeared from her face, replaced by a flash of resentment that was quickly masked. "Being able to do my job; so why don't you just clear the team and let me get back to my business?"_

_Well played, Archie thought. _

_"Doctor, there is something else I enjoy doing." She gave him a sultry smile as she leaned forward and touched him above the knee. "I'm sure it gets lonely out here for a man like you," Regina wet her lips with the tip of her tongue as her hand slowly travelled up his leg. "And I think we could both benefit from a little," she ran her nails softly on the inside of his thigh, "therapy." Their eyes locked; his in confusion, hers in control. It took a second for him to break away from the spell she had cast on him._

_He skittered backwards, nearly knocking over his chair in his haste to escape. "Ms. Mills," he whispered harshly, "that is highly inappropriate!" _

_Regina had returned to her former position. She was studying the back of her hand and her nails, acting as if nothing had happened. "Still," she said callously, "it could have been fun, at least for you."_

_The psychiatrist took a deep breath to center his thoughts; he was at his wit's end with this exasperating woman. "Ms. Mills I realize that it's futile to go around in circles about this every day with you; the truth of the matter is, you are the only one on the team that hasn't been cleared. Nobody else is sabotaging you, or trying to keep you from getting out and doing what you came here for...that's all on you." He sat in quiet frustration, hoping the words would sink in._

_The moment stretched on in heavy silence. Archie looked at the clock; it was time for the session to end. "Ms. Mills, our time is up, but here's the deal: we will meet again tomorrow, but if you aren't willing to open up and talk to me in a sincere and meaningful manner, then I'm sorry but I'll have to keep you all restricted indefinitely to Camp Azor."_

_Regina was on her feet instantly, standing inches away from the doctor, letting her fury run free. "You don't have the balls to do that."_

_He resisted, taking a step back. He looked with a calm confidence at the fiery woman. "You're angry, that's good. And I do have the guts to make the decision. Good day, Ms. Mills." He stepped over to the door and opened it up, a silent invitation for her to leave. _

_Regina strode indignantly out the door, searching for Sergeant Blanchard so she could leave the office. Blanchard was there, sitting next to Emma. The sight of the blonde woman threw Regina off-kilter; she had not anticipated seeing the Master Sergeant sitting in the chair, writing on a notepad. She spun around and rebuked the doctor. "You're kicking me out just so you can fill Ms. Swan in on my failure? So much for being a professional."_

_Emma quickly stepped in. "Ms. Mills, this has nothing to do with you and everything to do with my nightmares." She hadn't intended to share the last part, but there it was. _

_"Forgive me if I don't believe you." Regina snapped, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso. _

_For a moment, Emma thought Regina was going to cry; the moment passed as Regina turned to Mary Margaret. "Sergeant Blanchard, if you're done gabbing, I'm ready to go."_

...

I watched Regina walk out with Blanchard in tow before I glanced over at Archie. Apparently the therapy session didn't go well.

"Okay then..." I broke the silence.

Doc Hopper looked at me, realizing that I was still there. "Emma, of course." He said distractedly as he watched the now empty hallway. He shook his head and focused on me. "Come on in, thanks for waiting."

I sat down in 'my spot' on the couch and waited while he collected himself. He took a couple of minutes before he finally sat down and smiled at me.

"Rough session?" From what I'd seen, Archie wasn't one to get easily flustered; plus the fact that he was an Army Officer, a Major no less, spoke to his ability to keep his cool when things got hot. But the man sitting before me was quite clearly ruffled.

"Yeah," he gave a sad smile, "she has difficulty opening up."

"Ya think?" I felt my cheeks redden when I realized I had said the comment out loud.

"I was at the dance last night." He shook his head. "Regina just looked so different when she was dancing with you and having fun. I don't think that happens very often in her life."

I considered his words. He was right, when we danced Regina's eyes would light up and her face would just...soften. Off the dance floor in life, she was guarded and she was angry all of the time. _That is, when she wasn't cowering from her mother._ "So, why is she always mad?" I mean, the woman had millions of dollars, jet planes, probably even a condo on some island; she seemed to have it all, but there was so little joy in her life.

"Anger is an emotion that we use to cope with other feelings that, whether we realize it or not, we may be trying to hide. Sometimes emotions like fear, insecurity, or feeling powerless, manifest themselves in anger. Think of a child who wants to run into the street, but is told no by his parent; they may throw a tantrum because they feel out of control of the situation. It makes them angry, even if we as the adults know it's for their own safety."

"You think she's afraid?"

Dr. Hopper paused, "I think it's possible for anyone who just witnessed the death of eight human beings. It doesn't matter that they were the enemy or that they shot first. They were alive, now they're not, and everybody involved in that has been impacted on some level. If someone can't talk about it..."

"Yeah. You can't let go of what you keep inside." I remembered the quote from my last therapist.

"She may be angry because I told her that if, by tomorrow, she can't have a meaningful discussion with me, I'll postpone your mission indefinitely."

"Ah, so she was throwing a tantrum, got it." It clicked why she was so defiant with him.

"It appears so." He shrugged. I could tell he was frustrated at not being able to do his job. It seems we were all in that same boat.

"How can I help?" It's not that I didn't want to go home to Camp Brookes; I could be with Henry, go bike riding, read a book, or watch TV. It's just I didn't want to leave this job undone, it would feel like I failed.

"I have a couple ideas, but unless she's willing to try, I'm just banging my head against a wall. Anyhow, this session was supposed to be about your dreams, so let's focus on that; may I see what you've written?"

The session went on for another fifteen minutes or so. He gave me some advice on how to help myself if the nightmare happened again; that when I got to the part where I find the driver dead, I can tell myself it isn't real. Hopefully reading the censored version of my dream before I fell asleep would also help to rewire my brain to cope better with it.

We were just about finished when I had a crazy idea; of course, I didn't say it was_ crazy_ when I told Archie about it. I mean, who would say that to a Psych doc? But I told him the idea, in part because I wanted to know what he thought of it and in part because I needed his help to pull it off. As a Major he had access to places on the base that enlisted soldiers normally didn't know existed; but thanks to Sergeant Gold, who bartered two bottles of his rum to the right officer last trip, I knew about the hidden oasis. As Archie made a phone call and reserved it for the following evening from 1900 to 2100, I mentally made a list of everything I would need to make my plan happen.


	22. Chapter 22

**Falling in the Frey**

Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

I have a beta! (Does a happy dance) A big thanks to _Elodealeaf,_ who has volunteered to beta this story (I've already learned so much from her.)

Thanks again to everyone who reads, follows or favorites this tale. And a very big thank you to those who take a moment and post a comment, even as a guest. Your feedback is so important! It helps me know if I'm on track or gone off the rails. lol

**Chapter Twenty-two**

Now that I had a plan, I needed to get it set up. My first stop was to Ruby, in hopes that she could get me the five items on my 'wish list'. Luckily, I caught her at a good time, when the mess hall was slow and she had a moment to talk. I pulled her aside and filled her in on _Operation Bear._

She looked over the list, nodding. "I'll have to check in the pantry to see if we have any of the third one, but if we don't, is it okay for me to substitute?" The great thing about Ruby is she was always up for helping me out, no questions asked.

I felt obligated to pay her back somehow. "Come on Ruby, there has to be something I can do or get for you."

She just smiled. "No big deal, you'll just owe me a favor. Deal?"

Unlike Sergeant Gold, who was a master of trades and favors, Ruby wasn't going to ask me for anything too major...I hoped. "Deal. Can I pick it up at 1845 tomorrow?"

"You got it, Emma." She flashed me a wide grin.

With the first task taken care of, my next goal was to find Staff Sergeant Nolan. He didn't have the guard but was still on-duty which meant chances were I'd find him at the shooting range. I first headed to my barracks and, from underneath my bed, pulled out my gun safe. The small metal wheels on the lock grudgingly turned until I had the right five digit combination. From inside the box I carefully pulled out two handguns, my personal weapons that I'd brought with me from home. I double checked that neither was loaded before I set them side by side on my pillow to study them.

I picked up the larger of the two and felt the heft of the weapon. Having fired it hundreds of times, in both target practice and real life scenarios, I knew it worked well for me. I set it down and checked the other gun; it took a smaller caliber of bullet, which meant less recoil. It also was easier to hide and probably less intimidating to shoot. Decision made, I put them both away and relocked the safe.

I walked the pathway north of camp that lead to the range. Camp Azor had one designated shooting range that was divided into three combat scenarios. I checked in at the desk inside the small building. Sure enough, Nolan was signed in for Range Three. After I traded my meal card for a range pass, I walked on the outside perimeter to Range Three. It was setup to duplicate a typical street of a small town; the narrow cobblestone road led past tall, windowless stucco buildings and hidden alleys. An open air market was on one corner of the "town," complete with tables, empty baskets and colorful awnings. Vehicles that no longer ran were placed strategically in the road; most of them had been intentionally burned out or overturned to mimic a city that was under attack.

Shooters were assigned one of three teams for the sixty-minute scenario. To help with tactical training, your squad or platoon was put on the same team. The colored patch on the soldier's left arm designated their alliance;_ Red_ for Republic forces called in to respond, _yellow_ for insurgents who were attacking the town, and _blue_ for armed citizens who were trying to hold off both forces. Real bullets were replaced with rubber ones which hurt like a bastard if you got shot, but would bounce off you rather than penetrate your body or armor. Once you were shot, you had to replace your colored patch with a black one to indicate you were dead. I sat on the wooden bleachers and watched the last ten minutes of the battle.

I finally found Nolan in sniper position on a rooftop, yellow patch on his jacket. I watched as his rifle followed the path of a red soldier as the woman weaved in and out of the back alleys. He had always been a patient shooter, when the situation allowed, and today was no different. She came out of a dark alley, took a step into the road and was promptly shot. I looked back up to watch him again, but he was gone. The downed soldier looked pissed, but still replaced her red patch with black. Three horn blast sounded, indicating the round was over. Soldiers emptied into the street from all their hiding places. I didn't realize there were over a hundred soldiers participating until I saw them come out from behind cars, alleys and rooftops. Three "citizens" managed to survive by hiding under the tables in the marketplace. The soldiers turned their patches into the Range Staff, who tallied the votes and declared the insurgents victorious.

"Hey Nolan." I called out as he walked past me. His head snapped up and he looked in my direction. "Nice shooting." I grinned.

"Master Sergeant." He smiled and came to sit next to me on the bench. "You going to join us for the next round?"

"Maybe another day, I'm actually here to discuss a schedule change for tomorrow." I filled him in on_ Operation Bear_ and what I needed him to do.

I passed him a list of what he needed to take care of. "No, problem." He assured me. "I'll take care of it."

_Number two down._ I congratulated myself as I left the range, retrieved my meal card and headed off to find Sergeant Graham. It took me half an hour to finally track him down in the rec hall. He was sitting at a table, drinking a soda and chatting with a pretty girl with short blonde hair. He saw me as I walked towards their table and beckoned me over. "Master Sergeant Swan, this is Corporal Samantha Bridges."

She nodded at me. "Ma'am."

I sat down and grabbed a handful of Graham's popcorn. "Corporal."

"Sam works as a medic; their platoon's been here three months now."

"You must keep pretty busy Corporal." I took a sip of Graham's Dr. Pepper, which earned me a glare. I just cocked my eyebrow and shrugged. He laughed and fetched me a bottle of soda from the canteen. "Do you work in the field or strictly on base?"

"Just on base ma'am. Over at the hospital."

_Oh crap._ I couldn't believe that I had forgotten Gold's request. "Hey do you know if Belle French is still on base?"

"Lieutenant French? Yeah she's still a nurse in the surgery department."

_Thank God._ "Awesome, I was hoping she was still around." I was relieved I hadn't screwed up. "Graham, I need to talk to you about a schedule change tomorrow. Come find me before you take guard duty this evening?"

He looked at his watch. "Actually I have to get going soon." He turned to Sam and apologized.. "Duty calls. Can we finish our chat tomorrow?"

"Sure, Graham." She stood up and gave him a quick, chaste kiss. "Master Sergeant, it was nice meeting you."

"You too, Corporal." As she walked away, I kinda felt guilty. "Graham, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was a date.

"Don't worry about it, Sam and I meet here every afternoon and she's usually the one that gets paged and has to leave first."

Okay, that made me feel a little better. As with Nolan, I filled him in on the plan and left him a list of things to get done before tomorrow afternoon. He was on board with _Operation Bear_ and promised to send Sergeant Blanchard my way when he relieved her from guard duty.

With three down, I had two more stops to go. I went back to my barracks and searched my backpack to find the letter Sergeant Gold had asked me to give to Belle. On my way to the base hospital, I dropped by the gym and reserved the space, as well as some basic safety gear. That accomplished, I headed over to the hospital in hopes of finding the nurse.

"Excuse me, corporal." I addressed the man who was sitting at _Information_, hoping he could guide me in the right direction.

"Yes, ma'am, how may I help you?" I was captivated by his steely blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm looking for Lieutenant Belle French, she's a surgical nurse."

I watched as his fingers flew over the keyboard. "She's assigned to Unit C today; down that hall and then to the right."

I thanked him and headed in the given direction. I paused at the door that was marked_ Unit C-authorized personnel only_. Looking around, I saw the intercom on the wall. I pressed the button and waited.

_"May I help you?"_

"This is Master Sergeant Emma Swan; I'm looking for Lieutenant Belle French."

A buzzer sounded and I heard the door unlock. I walked in and waited.

"Master Sergeant," a woman dressed in teal scrubs approached me, "you asked for me?"

I recognized her from the last time I was at Azor. "Hi, um...I have a letter for you from Sergeant Paul Gold."

"From Rum?" Her eyes widened. "Do you know him?"_ Apparently she didn't remember me._ She laughed. "Yes, of course you would; how else would you have this letter from him. How is he? Did he come with you to Camp Azor?"

I smiled at her enthusiasm. "I was his squad leader, he asked me to bring this letter with me. And he is doing well, still rehabbing his leg, but back on active duty in the Army's intelligence department at Camp Brookes."

I watched as she read the letter, her lips silently reading the words. She looked again at me. "Thank you so much, I never thought I'd hear from him again."

I shrugged. "Hey, I'm glad I could be the courier."

"He wanted me to give you something." Belle paused. "I'm actually off in five minutes, do you mind waiting here for me?"

"Sure."

"Perfect. I'll see you soon." I could see why Sergeant Gold fell hard for the nurse; she was cute, smart and slightly awkward.

I hung out and waited until she returned. "Come on, it won't take long."

We walked the short gravel path together until we reached the large tent. "I'll be right back." I nodded and stayed outside, enjoying the sunset until I heard the door open again.

"Here you are." She smiled as she handed me a paper bag. "Rum said if you ever came to Azor and he wasn't with you, that you were going to need it." I peeked in the bag, surprised to find a bottle of his rum.

"Are you sure?" I hoped she was.

"Of course, I don't have any use for it." Apparently she didn't have his knack for bartering; with this bottle I could get almost anything I wanted on base. _ Or it could be the Pièce de résistance of my plan._

"Well, thank you Lieutenant. Tell Rum the same when you Skype with him?"

"Actually, I think it's best if I _don't_ contact him just yet." She confessed. "I've met someone and I want to give it a chance to see where it might go."

"Okay, no problem. It was nice to see you again." I didn't want to keep her, plus I had one more thing to do.

Things were coming together nicely and I was confident that the next two days were going to be great for Regina, and for my team. I returned to my tent and waited on my bed for Blanchard to come off shift.

Blanchard was easy to convince; she was excited for the chance to show her skills to Regina. I also knew that she was the most discreet of my team, so I asked an extra favor from her. "Of course, I'll do it! Can Nolan join me? It'll give us a chance to spend some quiet time alone."

"Yeah, but make sure he doesn't blow the surprise." I teasingly gave her a stern look.

She quickly crossed her heart. "I won't even tell him what's going on."

****Okay, I was officially excited. And nervous. This had to work, because if it didn't, I had no idea what else to do.

I met up with Ruby at the rec hall, she had already bought the popcorn and sodas. "Hey Emma." She smiled as I sat down. "Everything ready for tomorrow?"

"I hope so." I sighed. "I've triple checked everything, now it's just a matter of waiting." I took a handful of popcorn and willed myself to relax.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" She asked me hesitantly. I looked over to see her biting her lower lip.

"You know you can, Ruby. What's up?"

"Okay, well there's a girl."

I burst out laughing. "Ruby, it's _always_ a girl with you."

She laughed a little, too. "Yeah, but this one's more than_ just a girl_, I think I'm falling hard."

That was new. Ruby was always the one who insisted on no strings attached with the women she slept with. "Good for you, Ruby."

"Problem is I'm not sure she feels the same way. I think she does, and when we're together it's awesome; but then I think too much about it and I wonder if..."

I put my hand over hers, enjoying the warmth. "Ruby, you are an amazing woman. Anyone who can capture you would be lucky to have you."

"We haven't even slept together." She shyly admitted.

Okay, that _was_ new. "She must really be something."

Ruby actually blushed. "Yeah, she's a nurse over at the hospital."

I nearly choked on my soda. _ What are the chances?_

We sat and made small talk. I tried to avoid finding more about the nurse and focused on the gossip that Ruby freely shared. Before I wanted, it was time for me to take guard duty. I hugged Ruby goodbye and headed to my tent to gear up for the night.

"Hey Graham." I greeted the Sergeant as I holstered my gun on my leg. "How is she?" I tipped my chin towards Regina's tent.

"Quiet. She hasn't said much all evening, but she did make a business call; I couldn't hear the details." He switched places with me.

"Don't worry about it. Tomorrow is a new day, and Operation Bear is a go." I nodded at him. "I have the guard."

He gave me a cheeky grin. "You have the guard, Master Sergeant, I have a date."

"Just make sure you get some sleep tonight, Graham. If you screw this up tomorrow I swear I'll put you on twelve hour guard shifts for the remainder of our tour." He thought I was kidding. I wasn't.

Once he left, I pushed all other thoughts out of my head and focused on my duty. "Ms. Mills, I have the night shift if you need me for anything."

She didn't respond, which was unusual. If nothing else, she was always up for a snarky remark. I called to her again, but still there was no response. I turned on my flashlight and knocked on her door. When she didn't answer I pushed the door open and, keeping the beam on the floor, searched the small barrack. I padded over to her bed, where she lied softly breathing, dead to the world. Debating whether to wake her or not, I chose to let her sleep. There was a blanket nearby, so I covered her up and sat down on the wooden chair at the desk. Asleep, she looked younger and freer. It was soothing to listen to her steady breathing and I indulged myself for a few minutes before forcing my body to go back outside for guard duty. I checked the blanket on my way out, feeling protective of the civilian who naively chose to come to a warzone, only to find an actual war.

The moon was nearly full, bathing the camp in a silver light. Occasionally a cloud would drift through, causing shadows on the camp. I hoped it didn't mean we were going to have rain; that would ruin everything.


	23. Chapter 23

**Falling in the Frey**

Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

Pairings:Emma/Regina (soon...very soon)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

I have a beta! (Does a happy dance) A big thanks to _Elodealeaf,_ who has volunteered to beta this story (I've already learned so much from her.)

I'm sorry this chapter took so long to write and post, I hope it was worth the wait! As always, thanks to all of you who follow/favorite my story, and a huge thank you to those who take a moment to post a comment or PM me. Your feedback inspire me to write more :)

**Chapter Twenty-three**

Morning broke as the sun rose languidly in the east. The skies were cloudless, promising a warm, clear day. Perfect. I smiled as I stretched cat-like when the rays reached my stiff body. I checked my clock, _0730_, and waited for Nolan to come with the first part of Operation Bear. He didn't disappoint as he arrived five minutes later with breakfast from the mess hall.

"Did Ruby have the stuff?" I asked.

"Every bit of it." He smiled as he brought the tray to me for inspection. "I have the guard."

"You have the guard." I responded as I peeked under the metal that covered the plates. I was pleased to see that it was all set on white stoneware rather than the beige plastic plates that were used in the mess hall. The coffee carafe sat next to a small vase of wildflowers, a sweet touch that Ruby had added. I took the tray from the Staff Sergeant and carried it quietly inside Regina's barrack. She stirred, but didn't wake, as I gently set the tray on the desk and slipped back outside.

"Okay, here's this." I handed him a small ditty bag. "I think that will work the best for her."

He peered inside and nodded. "Good choice. We'll meet you there at ten?"

"I'll be there."

...

_David waited until 0900, when he heard soft footsteps from inside the barrack. "Good morning, Miss Mills. I trust you slept well."_

_"Well enough." Regina replied, inhaling the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee. She searched for the source, quickly noticing the tray on the desk._

_The vase of light purple orchids drew her attention, and she took a moment to enjoy the fragrance of the delicate flowers. She brushed the soft petals with her fingertips before she turned her focus on the dome-covered plate. Lifting the silver plated cover, she was pleasantly surprised to find a selection of thinly sliced meats and cheeses, as well as two fresh croissants. She carefully sat the lid aside as she noticed the Honeycrisp apple sitting primly on a small plate. _

_She searched, but found no note or card on the tray. "Staff Sergeant do you know who this meal is from?"_

_"I do." He confessed. "It is from Master Sergeant Swan, Sergeants Blanchard, Graham, and myself."_

_"Why?" Her eyes narrowed as she tried to figure out their angle._

_"Because today is gonna be fun and you need your energy. Now eat up, we've got a full day ahead."_

_"And what, exactly, does a full day consist of?" _

_"I'll leave the details to Master Sergeant Swan, but just trust me that you'll have a good time."_

_"In this hell hole? I seriously doubt that." _

_Nolan decided to let the discussion drop before it escalated into a fight of both words and wills._

_She hesitated for only a moment before deciding it would be a shame to let such good food go to waste. "Staff Sergeant, is there a recommended dress code for today?" She hated not knowing the plan, but in the spirit of solidarity, decided to let Emma win this small battle._

_"I'd suggest you wear the usual BDU for today's events. You can ask the Master Sergeant what she recommends for this evening." He advised, grateful that she was cooperating. "Oh, and make sure you bring your knife." _

_The brunette dressed quickly although his last comment gave her pause; she shrugged of her hesitancy and holstered the knife to her pants. Once she felt ready, she emerged from her barrack, ready to face whatever Emma tossed her way. "Shall we?" She asked of her guard._

_David gave her a disarming smile as he nodded. "Absolutely, Master Sergeant Swan will meet us there." They walked together down the main road of camp, until they reached a junction where he turned and headed north on a smaller path. Before them lay a part of Azor that Regina had yet to visit and she found, as they briskly walked in the warm morning sun, that perhaps there was more to this place than she realized. He led her to the entryway of the structure. _

_"You'll need to exchange your meal card for a range pass." Nolan explained to her as he handed his over to the Corporal who was manning the booth. "9mm rounds for two shooters please." He requested from the Corporal, receiving a small box in return. _

_Regina turned in her meal pass and was issued a laminated yellow card with the words 'range pass' printed in black, capital letters. "Clip that to your belt loop." The Staff Sergeant pointed at the card. She looked where he had clipped his and copied his example._

_"Excellent, let's go have some fun." He grinned as they walked to Range One._

**...**

"About time you made it, Nolan." I smiled as I teased him. "And good morning, Ms. Mills, I hope you enjoyed your breakfast." My eyes involuntarily flickered from Regina's face, to her chest, and back again.

"I did, thank you. Staff Sergeant Nolan had promised me a day of fun. I do hope you're capable of delivering on such a commitment." She deadpanned as they sat down on the picnic table with me.

"Oh, you have no idea what I'm capable of. I'm quite confident today will live up to your expectations." I smirked. "Have you ever shot a gun?"

Regina bristled. "A lady has no business learning such skills."

Her primness on the matter amused me. "Have you ever wrestled or hit somebody?" I teased.

"Of course not." She seemed snappy.

I grew serious as I spoke to the businesswoman. "The truth is, Ms. Mills, we admire your commitment to your company, and that you volunteered to come to Freylache. But I realize now that, as a civilian, you were ill prepared for the reality of the Frey. Your company couldn't provide the training you needed, and apparently the Army didn't either. So we are going to rectify that. Today and tomorrow is all about bringing you up to speed on what it means to be a part of our fire-team." I hoped she realized the value of the training.

"So, here's the agenda." I passed her a small sheet of paper. "This morning, Nolan will teach you how to properly shoot, clean and store a gun. He'll cover safety as well as strategies with you. Come lunchtime, Blanchard and Graham will join us and we'll all watch a mock battle together. After that, Blanchard is going to teach you tactics of a fire-team so you can understand how we communicate and work together as a unit." I paused to make sure Regina was keeping pace. The brunette nodded so I continued.

"Next, you and I are going to get physical." I laughed when the brunette quirked an eyebrow. "I'm best suited to teach you some basic hand-to-hand combat techniques. It won't be enough to kill someone, but it will be enough to give you a fighting chance to save your own life." I referred to the agenda. "Then Graham is going to work with you on basic survival techniques like firemaking, knot tying, building a rudimentary shelter and finding food in the Frey. And last, but not least, you and I are going to spend the evening together. Any questions?"

"What makes you think spending an evening together with you constitutes fun?"

"On that you'll have to trust me, but let me assure you that I know how to show a woman a good time."

"That remains to be seen, Master Sergeant."

...

_Sergeant Nolan was slightly confused as he watched their bantering. 'Were they flirting or fighting?' It was something he could never quite figure out. _

_He shook his head to clear it and focused on the job ahead of him. "Alright, Ms. Mills, let's start with a couple of questions. How much experience do you have with handguns?" He pulled the black metal weapon out of his holster and pointed the muzzle safely away from them. _

_She crossed her arms and took a small step back. "None."_

_"How about BB guns or paint ball?" _

_She arched a perfect eyebrow at his question. "Sergeant, do I look like the type of person who would shoot a BB gun?"_

_"Okay," he laughed, "probably not. But that's okay, I'm sure you're going to have no trouble learning this." He brought out a second, smaller gun that Emma had chosen for the brunette. "While we're training and when we're back out in the Frey, this will be your weapon. Right now," he double checked, "your weapon is unloaded and safe for you to handle." He noticed her flinch when he passed the weapon to her. "Just take a few minutes to check it out, get to know how the gun feels."_

_She awkwardly handled the piece of metal. "I'm really not comfortable with this."_

_"It's okay, Ms. Mills, you're doing fine." He gently pressed her hands around the gun. "You aren't going to break it." As she gingerly turned the weapon in her hands he had a flash of inspiration. "This is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Which of your armor would stop this bullet from penetrating the body?"_

_That got her attention and she immediately answered his question. "All of our armor would be able to withstand a 9mm gunshot."_

_"Even your basic armor?" _

_"The outer tactical vest is used by many in private security as well as law enforcement. It will stop a 9mm bullet even from point-blank range."_

_"What about a 45 caliber bullet?"_

_"The latest version would be able to withstand that caliber from greater than five feet away. As you can imagine, bigger caliber bullets are harder to stop."_

_"Who tests your armor? Is it done inside your company or you have someone else do it?" _

_"Why the sudden interest in my company's practices?" Her eyes narrowed._

_Nolan was taken aback. "I didn't ..I'm sorry, I was just surprised, considering you own an armor company that contracts with the Army, that you haven't shot a gun before."_

_"I don't own the company, my parents do." She pulled back the slide on the top of the weapon. "And my father used to do the testing himself, but now we sub-contract that out. Are you going to teach me how to use this thing or not?"_

_"Yes, of course. Hand me your gun, pointing the muzzle end down." He took the weapon and set it next to his own pistol on the table. "First rules of gun safety, always assume the weapon is loaded and never point it at something you aren't willing to destroy." _

_He slid the ammo clip out of his gun. "This is called a magazine." He handed her the empty, spare one from Emma. "It's where the ammunition is loaded." He opened up one of the boxes that the range provided. "And this is how you load it."_

_He showed her how to tell if your gun was loaded and how to load the magazine into your weapon, and to keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot. He then turned her weapon on the side and showed her the safety. "Our guns don't have this, but yours does. It helps to prevent you from accidentally discharging the weapon. When you're not shooting, make sure it's on. Okay, follow me."_

_Nolan lead her to the shooting line of the range and handed the weapon and a set of safety glasses and earplugs her. "Put those on and watch me." He directed as he donned his own safety equipment._

_He assumed the 'shooter's position' and aimed the weapon at the paper target that was twenty-five feet away. He shot off three rounds, hitting the bullseye each time._

_"Okay, stand like I did." He holstered his gun while he watched her mimic his position. "Good, now just relax your elbow." He touched her arm, causing her to flinch. She forced herself to relax. "Excellent Regina. Now look through the sight and point it where you want to shoot. When you shoot you're gonna have some kickback; it'll take some getting used to, but you'll have it by the time we're done." She nodded in understanding. "Whenever you're ready, take your shot."_

_She carefully aimed her weapon, remembering to relax her elbow. Her finger felt the cool metal of the curved trigger as she firmly pulled it. Her first shot went wildly higher than she had aimed; her second shot did the same. She stepped back from the line and blew out a frustrated breath._

_"Hey, you're doing great." David said encouragingly. "Your shots went high because the gun kicked. This time you'll be ready. Don't let the muzzle rise up when you pull the trigger."_

_She sighed, but stepped back up to the line; she aimed, bracing for the kickback. Three shots later, she looked at the target. A smile graced her face as she saw the small cluster of holes on the paper. _

_"That was awesome!" Nolan grinned as he praised her. "You're a natural. Let's keep going." They both faced their targets and clipped off the rest of the magazine._

_After they each reloaded their magazines, David replaced the targets with fresh paper and moved his back to fifty feet. "Ten shots each, you score by shooting into one of the red circles of your target. Loser buys Pizza Shack for the team." _

_Regina felt her competitive drive kick into high gear as she took careful, precise aim and quickly shot off the ten rounds. _

_Nolan pulled the targets back in and they each added up their scores. "Eight for me, nine for you. Well done." He announced as they took off their protective gear. "And that makes pizza on me." He radioed Graham, who Emma had instructed to pick up the pizza. "Sergeant put the lunch bill on my tab." _

_He focused again on the brunette. "We'll do some more shooting tomorrow, but today we'll finish up by learning how to clean a weapon." They returned to the picnic table, both placing their unloaded guns on the cloths Nolan took out from the ditty bag. He also pulled out a small can of oil with a long, narrow tip. "Just do as I do." He said as he began to disassemble his gun. "Use this to clean the muzzle." He handed her a small, rounded bristle brush. Once that was complete, he opened the tip of the oil can. "Just a drop of oil here." He demonstrated before handing her the oil. She squeezed a little too hard and the oil spilled out of the hole and on the weapon "Don't worry about it." He assured her as she sopped up the extra oil with the cloth. "A little extra oil won't hurt the gun." Once she had cleaned up the small mess, he showed her how to reassemble her gun, ensuring that the safety was once again 'on.'_

...

Nolan and Mills were sitting at the picnic table when I checked into the shooting range. I headed over and joined them, looking quickly at Nolan to see how things went. I straddled the bench next to Regina, and listened their spirited banter on the materials used in combat armor. David was a fan of Spectra fibers, while Regina insisted that Twaron fibers were far superior of the two. Knowing little about the subject myself, I didn't feel comfortable adding to the conversation. Instead, I just closed my eyes and relaxed in the sunshine, enjoying the gentle breeze on my face.

"Quit slacking, Swan." Sergeant Graham startled me by kicking the bottom of my boot. He jumped back quickly, sure that I was going to kick at him.

"Hey, you're blocking the sun." I joked as I straightened up. "But at least you brought the pizza, so I guess I'll forgive you."

Blanchard carried a bag with five bottles of soda and the paper plates. She set them down on the table next to the two boxes of large pizza and the twenty-piece box of hot wings. "Wow, did you have to spend _all_ my money?" David laughed.

"Hey, when it's on your dime, no expenses are spared." Graham retorted as he loaded his plate full of food. "Ms. Mills, I heard you did some fine shooting today; good enough to beat David."

She blushed. "His target was twice the distance of mine, but still, I'll take my victories where I can get them."

_A woman after my heart._ I thought as I grabbed two slices of pizza and three hot wings for my plate. We all ate in comfortable silence, the food disappearing from the boxes and into our stomachs. Even Regina ate her fair share of the pizza, though she used a fork and knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces. As Nolan grabbed the last slice, Graham and I cleaned up the boxes and threw everything away. As I walked back I heard Blanchard's soft voice talking with Regina.

"Since it's such a nice day, I thought we could just study here before the demonstration." She handed Ms. Mills a small laminated card. "First we'll review some common hand signals that are used by combat teams in the Army."

I spoke to Nolan and Graham. "Hey guys, let's give them some space." Then called to Blanchard. "We're gonna go save seats, see you there in thirty."

It wasn't far to the bleachers of Range Three where we would be spectators at a match similar to the one Nolan fought in the day before. I'd hoped by letting Regina watch the mock battle, she could get the big picture of how teams worked together, and how to respond in combat situations. We clambered up the bleachers and spread out on the top row. By turning my body just slightly, I could watch the two brunettes at the picnic table as Blanchard demonstrated each of the signals. Regina, it seemed, was a quick study; soon she was speaking with Blanchard in a series of hand gestures that I could read from my seat.

I was distracted by the groups of soldiers that were streaming by us to take their place on the battlefield. When I looked back, Blanchard and Mills were part of the informal parade, though they turned towards us instead of heading to check in.

"Hey." Blanchard greeted us as she sat between Graham and Nolan. Regina took her seat between me and the Staff Sergeant.

"Everything go alright?" I asked her as she leaned against the steel frame behind us.

"Yes, it was very interesting actually. Though there seems to be quite a bit more that I don't know." She sighed. "However, Sergeant Blanchard gave me a study guide and promised more training tomorrow."

"You did very well actually. I could read your signals from here; they were concise and easy to interpret." I assured her.

She was just about to respond when our conversation was cut short by the sound of a bell; a one minute warning that the battle was about to begin. "Okay," I instructed her. "Start by focusing on one soldier with a blue patch on their arm, they are on the republic team. The others are rebels and local citizens. Just watch that one soldier to see where the go and what they do in the battle."

I watched her peruse the crowd of blue patched soldiers until I noticed her eyes following one in particular. "The blonde Staff Sergeant?" I asked, following her line of sight.

"Yeah, she seems competent."

"Okay, that's who we'll watch and discuss during the battle." I agreed, wondering if she coincidentally picked a blonde woman, or if it was because the soldier looked a bit like me.

Two bells rang and the fight commenced. My doppelgänger moved quickly into the alleyway, out of the heart of the battle. Signalling to another soldier, she moved slowly to the east, crouching low as she moved to behind a burned out jeep. She signaled that the coast was clear and soon another soldier ducked out of an alleyway and joined her. Regina watched them in rapt interest. "No, don't go there." She said as she watched them move towards the marketplace. "Sniper." She signaled with both her words and her hands as she noticed the gunman on the roof. One shot, and the blonde's comrade was hit. He ripped off his blue patch, displaying the black one beneath. The blonde disappeared again behind the jeep.

"Pick another soldier." I told her, pleased that she had started to take in the whole scenario and not just her target.

"Islander near the market." She nodded at the darker skinned man who just "killed" two rebels that had hidden under the market tables. He was quick and lethal, relying on his teammates hand signals to find his next victim. "Good, the woman sees the guy in the window." She watched the female teammate signal, the islander duck and then come up next the window, quickly aiming and shooting the man. "Good job." She praised them as the islander suddenly rolled, avoiding a sniper's bullet. We continued to watch as the last of the rebels were eliminated and the team of citizens surrendered. The islander raised his rifle in victory, a broad smile on his face as his teammates gathered together with him in the marketplace. I looked over towards the jeep, finding my black patched twin brushing herself off in the street.

Regina had turned to Nolan, peppering him with questions about the battle. Her questions were intelligent, thoughtful and relevant. It seemed that she was starting to grasp the concept of warfare from a soldier's perspective instead of a merchant's.

We waited until the throng of soldiers walked past us to the exit before we stood and joined the end of the line. "Show me again the signal for hurry up." Regina asked Blanchard, who raised her fist and mimicked quickly pulling a train whistle twice. "Thank you." Mills practiced the signal, as well as others, as we walked back to the main camp.

"Okay, thirty minute break then we'll at meet up in the rec hall. Nolan you have the guard until then." An expected chorus of 'yes ma'am" responded to my order, but I was surprised to hear Mills' voice in the mix.

I took advantage of the half hour to change into a clean white t-shirt, sweatpants and tennis shoes. Tomorrow I would work with Regina in full BDU's but today would be easier for both of us if we were in less clothing. I made my way to the rec hall and spread six mats on the clean concrete floor. I was in the middle of stretching out, enjoying the pull of muscles as I moved into familiar yoga poses, when I heard Nolan's voice echo in the building, followed by the beautiful sound of Regina's laughter. It wasn't the derisive bark that she usually made; this was a like a soft melody of joy.

It was quickly overtaken by the louder sound of Graham's deep voice as he and Blanchard raced towards the mats.

"Whoa!" I yelped as they came close to running me over.

Graham erupted in laughter. "Sorry, Master Sergeant, but Blanchard bet me a burger that she would win."

"And I would have," she protested. "if you hadn't tried to trip me!"

"I didn't trip you, Blanchard, the small pebble did." He pranced around her, taunting. "And now, you owe me Burger Queen."

"I am so gonna toss your ass to the floor." Blanchard grumbled as she pulled off her sweatshirt.

"I'd like to see you try." He teased.

"Enough." I held up my hands to stop the bantering. "We only have the hall for an hour, so let's get to work. Nolan, Graham on the red mats. Blanchard, Mills on the black." They split into two groups. "Alright hand to hand combat is a necessary skill both in combat and in the real world. Today we're going to cover some basic defensive moves that can be used in many scenarios. The first rule of combat is to try to avoid it. Try and keep the situation calm, try to stay faraway so they can't grab you and try to make sure you aren't forced into a corner or someplace else you'd be trapped."

Nolan, demonstrate for Mills how to stay out of range." I ordered. As he began to step backwards and sideways away from Graham, I talked to Mills. "See how he anticipates Graham's next step and how Nolan doesn't look where he is going to step next? By looking a different way, he isn't signalling his intent to Graham."

I turned to the women. "Blanchard, evade; Mills try to hit her."

"Hit her?" She looked confused.

"Don't worry," Blanchard assured her as she started bobbing. "You won't get the chance."

I had them switch, Blanchard giving Regina tips as she tried to evade the Sergeant. I watched, trying to figure out exactly what was slowing Mills down.

"Regina, pretend it's a dance." I suggested as I noticed her flat footedness. Immediately she responded, her steps quickening and her moves more agile. "Good job." I praised as she evaded every move Blanchard threw at her.

"Alright, stop. Don protective head gear." They all put the foam helmet over their faces. Next up you'll learn how to defend yourself in case you are caught. Remember, as soon as you're free of the hold, get away from them. Nolan, demonstrate the arm pull." He reached out and took Graham's arm. Instead of fighting it, Graham went towards Nolan, shifting his arm to hit Nolan's neck with an elbow. Graham was still standing, so Nolan punched Graham in the side of his head with his free hand, sending the Sergeant to the ground. "Sometimes, it takes only one move, sometimes it takes two to disable your assailant. Okay, both groups practice this." Mary Margaret slowly guided Regina through the motions until the civilian nodded and came at the Sergeant in full speed. She took Blanchard down in one well placed move. They practiced over and over until I felt Regina was competent at the maneuver.

"Stop." I ordered and the activity ceased. "Now the men will demonstrate how to break free if someone comes at you from the front. Nolan immediately grabbed Graham's shirt with both hands. In response, Graham brought both his arms up between Nolan's and shoved them apart. "Excellent, both mats practice."

"Last move for the day is learning how to break a choke-hold Graham attack Nolan." He went behind the Staff Sergeant and wrapped his arm around David's neck. Nolan brought his knee up and then thrust it back into Graham's leg, followed by a spin to get away from Graham. "Both mats." I ordered.

I watched as Regina took up her place behind Blanchard and put the smaller woman into a choke-hold Blanchard talked to Mills as she raised her leg up and then brought it back to gently tap Regina's knee, and then spun away from her. They did the move five times, each repetition quicker and more aggressive, until Mills was knocked to the floor from a hard kick to her leg. She scrambled back up and signaled that she was alright. "Okay switch." I instructed and Blanchard stood behind Regina, bringing her arm around the civilian's throat. I saw Regina's eyes flash in panic as her skin took on a ghostly pallor. "Time out, take five." I went to Regina, thinking she was injured. As I stepped close, she sat down and wrapped her arms tightly around her torso.

"I'm fine." She lied.

"No, you're not. What's going on?" I squatted, concerned at her poor coloring.

She was silent before whispering. "I have bad memories of being choked." Her eyes shimmered, but no tears fell. She shook her head violently and stood up. "It's stupid, I know."

I reached out and gently touched her arm. "It's not stupid at all. So let me teach you how to break free if it ever happens again."

She nodded and I let her regain her composure before I called the rest of the team back to the mats. "Blanchard, take point." I instructed as I joined Regina on the black mats. Standing behind her, I spoke softly. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise you're safe with me." I took her silent nod as permission to continue, so I pressed my body against her stiff backside, and wrapped my right arm loosely around her neck.

"Both teams practice." Blanchard ordered and I waited for Regina to move. Her kick hit me square on the knee, but I managed to stay upright as she spun away from my grip. I limped for a few steps to clear the pain. "Great job." I gritted my teeth before coming behind her again. This time, as I pressed against her back, she didn't flinch. But she didn't move either and I could feel the warmth that emanated from her body. We stood like that for a few seconds before she kicked me again, this time in the shin. _That's gonna leave a bruise. _

"Last drill." Blanchard announced. "Will be a ten minute freestyle, five minutes per person. Mills and Swan, you are limited to the maneuvers we worked on today. Graham and Nolan just don't kill each other. The men each gave the other a feral grin before going full force into combat. I heard the thud as Graham landed on his back. I focused on Regina as she came at me, dancing away from her until she managed to catch me, then easily breaking away. Five minutes passed quickly and we switched positions. This time, I came at her, working around to her backside to get her in a choke-hold I managed, but then found myself on the ground as she kicked my leg out from beneath me. I jumped up and grabbed her by the shirt, she responded by forcing my arms apart. I pulled her arm, she came towards me and elbowed me in the neck before hitting me squarely in the jaw. At least my headgear softened the blow, but I was still gonna be sore in the morning.

"Great workout everyone. Thanks for your help." We cleaned up the mats and returned the headgear to the attendant. "Blanchard, you have the guard until 1845. I'll see you and Mills then."

I turned so only Regina could hear me. "Wear something comfortable and plan to get wet." I grinned as I walked away.

I had an hour to take care of the final details. I quickly changed into my denim shorts and clean black t-shirt that I had picked for the evening. I grabbed a spare white tank top and pair of purple skivvies, tossing them in my backpack, along with the bottle of rum, two shot glasses, matches, my walkie-talkie and a CD of classical music. I headed down to the mess hall and searched for Ruby. It didn't take long to find her and and procure the items I had requested. Nolan was waiting outside when I came out of the building. We walked together to the car pool, where we checked out a Jeep and drove to Regina's barrack. Blanchard and Mills were sitting on the porch when we pulled up. Blanchard was in full BDU's but Regina was dressed in a pair of black capris, sandals and a crisp button-down cream blouse.

Nolan and Blanchard crawled into the small back seat, while Regina sat in the front passenger one. "Everybody ready?" I asked as they snapped their seat belts.

Conversation was sparse as we drove through the main camp, and then took the lone dirt road to the south that headed towards a small outcrop of rocky hills. We passed the sign marked_ Authorized personnel only_ and continued up the windy road until we arrived at a gated area. "Ms. Mills, you're with me." I hopped out of the Jeep and came around to her side, opening the door for her.

"You two have fun." I grinned as the Sergeants took to the front seats. "There's a basket of food for you in the back-end." I handed Nolan my pistol. "You have the guard."

I waited until they drove away, the small trail of dust that they kicked up was quickly blown away in the evening's warm breeze. I grabbed my backpack and led Regina to the locked gate. "What's going on Staff Sergeant?" She snapped as I focused on the combination lock.

I was tempted to retort, but bit my tongue. I wanted this night to be awesome, and starting it out by fighting would have ruined everything. "Sometimes, it's okay to be surprised." I smiled as I felt the lock click open. "After you..."

I heard the soft gasp as I followed her into the best kept secret of Camp Azor. When the first corps of engineers were sent to build the camp, the story goes, there was an islander who was adept at finding water. She was able to find a pure water source that the engineers tapped and ran underground pipes from to bring water throughout the camp, but she also discovered another spring just outside of the camp's official boundaries. Instead of reporting it, she asked to trade for the half-acre of land in exchange for pulling together a full-blown luau for the group of engineers. The Colonel in charge of the group agreed and signed over the handwritten deed to the small property. In turn, she killed five wild pigs, spit roasted them and served the meat with pineapples and rice. Even though the Camp grew in size, eventually encompassing the islander's small deed of property, the half-acre of rocky outcrops remained a separate entity from the military camp. I don't know how much of the legend is true, but I do know that because of it, the Oasis was considered outside of Azor's boundaries, even though all the land around it had been annexed by the Republic.

"What is this place?" Regina asked softly as we looked around the fenced in property that was normally reserved for the upper echelon of military officers.

I sat my backpack down on one of the tables in the cabana. "It's called the Oasis. It took some doing, but I managed to get us exclusive access for two hours tonight." I pulled out the matches from my bag and brought Ruby's gifts to the BBQ. "You've worked really hard today and I thought a reward was in order." I smiled. Her eyes lit up when she saw me pull the food out of the basket.

I added the charcoal and wood chips to the BBQ and, after lighting it, closed the lid to let the coals heat up. "Sit down and relax, I've got this." I pulled out a chair for her and she gracefully sat down. As the smell of charcoal wafted in the warm air, I sat the table with porcelain dishes, cloth napkins and real silverware. I added the wine glasses and the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Ruby had promised that it would go perfectly with the meal and that Ms. Mills would appreciate the vintage. I hoped so, considering it cost me a hundred dollars to buy it from the Corporal.

It appeared that Ruby was right as Regina reverently held the bottle and smiled. "However did you find a bottle of one of my favorite wines? An excellent year, too." She uncorked the bottle and pour a bit into each of our glasses.

"Just have to know the right people, I guess." I wasn't much of a red wine fan, but I took a sip...and tried not to spit it back in my glass. "I'm really glad you like it." I tried to play it cool. "In fact, I insist that you have it all, and I'll stick with beer." I brandished two bottles of local brew that had cost me five bucks each from Ruby. "You enjoy the wine, okay?"

"Mhmmm." She smiled as she took another long sip. "This really is excellent."

"Well, if you think that's good, wait till you try the meal." I was relieved the night was starting off so well. "How do you like your steak cooked?" I uncovered the two thick cuts of beef that were sitting next to the BBQ. Regina stood, and with her refilled glass of wine, came over to join me.

"Medium rare would be wonderful." She leaned close to me and I caught a whiff of apples from her hair.

"Two steaks, medium-rare, coming right up." I laughed as I opened the lid of the BBQ, allowing a billow of smoke to escape. I put the meats on and closed the lid. I had planned to stand and wait for the steaks to cook, but I felt her fingertips on my arm.

"Come sit down Emma and tell me what you really want from me." She ran her hand up slowly down my arm until she entwined her fingers in mine.

I followed, sitting across the table from her. Watching as she ran her fingertip around the top of her glass I confessed. "I don't know what you mean, ma'am."

"Oh please, Master Sergeant, don't play coy. I understand this game better than most; you want something from me, be it money, sex, or maybe a job. In return, you bring me to this," she waved her hand around, "oasis, ply me with good wine, good food and good music and lay your subtle trap."

_Okay so she noticed that I put the CD on._ "Ms. Mills, I swear that I didn't do this for any of those reasons. I just figured that you'd appreciate a break from the reality of Army life." I stood to turn the steaks, and to give me some space from her. "I'm sorry if you thought there was any sort of game going on here." I added the bunch of asparagus to the grill.

"So you're not planning on asking me for money?" Her eyebrow quirked.

"No, why would I need your money? I work hard and The Army provides all I need, I even get housing included." I really _was_ satisfied with my lifestyle.

"What about a job? A private bodyguard earns tenfold what you do in the Army, plus it's not as dangerous of a job."

"No disrespect ma'am, but I've been offered civilian jobs before and I've turned them all down. I'm not in this job because of the money or the prestige. I'm honored to serve and protect the Republic and her citizens." The steaks and vegetables were finished, so I took them off the BBQ and brought them to the table. I could feel her watching me as I set them down and then opened the basket to bring out a loaf of bread and two baked potatoes. I added individual packets of butter, sour cream, salt and pepper to complete the meal. "Bon appetit." I wished her as I cut into a potato and ladened it with butter and sour cream.

"Are you telling me you honestly don't want to have sex with me?"

I coughed, trying to clear the piece of steak that threatened to lodge itself in my throat. "Excuse me?" I choked out as tears rolled down my face. I took a swallow of beer to clear my throat.

"You heard me." She said before she slid a small piece of meat into her mouth and primly chewed.

"If you're asking if I want a quick fuck, the answer's no." I shook my head. "I swear there's no hidden agenda here. I just want you to enjoy tonight, but you keep insisting that I'm setting a trap." I could feel my anger swell. "Not everybody is out to hurt you, or get something from you. Sometimes a steak dinner is just a steak dinner!" I stabbed my potato and shoved it into my mouth.

After many minutes of awkward, silent eating she sighed. "I'm sorry. Life has made me suspicious of people's motives. Thank you for the dinner and the wine," she raised her glass, "and bringing me here." We had both finished our meals, so I gathered our plates and set them aside.

I drained the last off my beer and stood. "There's a reason it's called an oasis." I held out my hand and she hesitantly took it. We walked away from the cabana and down a short, bricked pathway. "This is how it got it's name." I grinned as I brought her to the hot springs that were surrounded by flat stones. It was the size of small pool, the hot water steaming in promise to be a balm to our aching muscles.

She knelt on one knee and dipped her hand into the water. "I didn't bring a suit." She stood and looked at me, regret filling her eyes.

I shrugged. "Neither did I." Maybe it was the beer talking or maybe it was just that I really wanted to swim but the words slipped out. "Doesn't mean we can't go swimming."

"Good point." She smiled as she pulled her top off and laid it neatly on the nearby dry rocks. I blushed and turned to get us towels. "Come now, Emma. You've already told me you don't want to have sex, so no need to be shy." I filled my arms and returned to the spring where she had already stripped down to her black lace bra and matching undies. I put the towels down on a raised stone within reach of the hot springs, adding the half-empty bottle of wine and her glass next to them. Last, I pulled the cap off of my beer and took a swig to steel my resolve as I watched her bra and panties join her pile of clothing. Her body slid into the water until just her neck and head were above the surface. "Your turn Master Sergeant." She said with a sly grin.

I've never been ashamed of my body; it is what it is, scars and all. But as I took off my clothing, I could feel her eyes taking it all in. I glanced over, noting her dark eyes watching my private show. I felt the heat in my cheeks and between my legs as I pulled down the straps of my bra and reached back to unsnap it. It fell forward and I caught it with one hand to keep myself covered. I turned my back to the hot springs and neatly folded my bra before putting it on top of my t-shirt and shorts. Taking a deep breath, I slid my panties down and added them to the pile of clothing before turning around to join the brunette.

Her eyes were black chips of obsidian, boldly trailing up and down my naked body. I eased my tired body into the water, feeling the heat welcome my sore muscles and aching joints. I found a foothold and braced myself so that I could stay submerged in the healing waters. Regina swam a few strokes away, retrieved her wine glass and gracefully swam back. "It's a shame you don't want to sleep with me. I think we'd both enjoy it very much."

My eyes closed as I tried to clear the vision of our two naked bodies entwined in pleasure. "I never said I didn't want to make love to you. I just don't do sex for the sake of sex."

She came closer to me, her fingers trailing down my shoulder to my collarbone. "I've never been made love to, it's always about sex."

"Not if it's done right."

I opened my eyes to find her studying me, her forehead furrowed. "Then what's stopping you?" She asked in a tight voice. "You think I'm not good enough for you?"

"Oh, Regina." I took her hands in mine, aware of the thin space between our bodies. "I promised you that I didn't do this tonight because I wanted anything from you. And if I did take you right now, and make love to you, you would always question my honor." God that was hard to say because I wanted nothing more than to pull her body next to mine and bring us both to a much needed release.

"Screw your honor." She growled as she closed the distance between us, pressing her body hard against mine. Her kiss was demanding, her tongue insistent as it parted my mouth. I tried to resist, to pull back, but she pressed harder until my body responded. As I pulled her closer to me, her legs spread, her body seeking purchase on my knee. I could feel the heat of her core as the kisses deepened; our tongues no longer engaged a battle of wills, but of a mutual tango. Her body began rocking, her mound grinding on my leg, seeking release. It took all of my willpower to breathlessly pull away and break the rhythm. She looked angrily at me. "What the hell?"

I nearly cried, my body demanding that I continue the rhythm of the dance. "No, Regina, you deserve better than this."

"But I_ want_ this." Her husky voice whispered as she raked her nails over my taut nipples.

"God, so do I," I put my hands over hers, stopping her ministrations, "but _no_t like this."

I've seen women sulk before. I was married to one for nearly three years, so it should have come as no surprise to me when Regina's mouth turned down into a pout. She even went to the far side of the spring and turned her back to me.

Apologizing when I haven't done anything wrong isn't something that comes easily to me. It's bad enough when I screw up and have to say _sorry_, but it sucks when I have to do it just to make peace. I sighed and swam over to her, pulling her close and softly pressing my lips against her neck in apology. "I have enough on my plate just keeping us alive, I don't have the luxury of a relationship here in the Frey."

Regina sighed and softened into my embrace. "What about outside the Frey?"

"Sure, but I hardly think I'm your type in the real world." After all, she was rich and powerful in the Republic and I was just another military grunt.

She gently pulled away and swam to the flat rocks to exit the pool. I turned away and gave her some privacy. Once I heard her softly pad down the brick path, I reluctantly left the warmth of the spring and dressed. Our two hours were nearly up, so I set my sights on packing everything up. As I reached for the picnic basket, I felt a tentative touch on my arm.

"Master Sergeant Emma Swan, will you dance with me?"

I turned and looked, melting into her chocolate-brown eyes. "It would be my pleasure, Regina Mills."

The CD played and we danced slowly to the songs, our bodies responding to each other's movement. "I've only been in love once in my life." She murmured as she nuzzled in the crook of my neck. "He was a stable-hand at my parents' ranch; hardly one you would consider equal to my station. But, he was everything I wanted; a rock for me to cling to in the uncertain tides of my life." Her voice faded away.

"What happened to him?"

"We were young and in love, but my mother didn't approve. She fired him and sent him away with a warning to never contact me again. Of course I didn't find out about the last part until my father told me when I was much older. I just thought that Daniel left me because he didn't love me." I felt her warm tears as she pressed against my shoulder. "Corporal Daniel Markham was killed in battle seventeen years ago." She gave a mirthless laugh. "I found out by reading the obituaries of the local paper. I wasn't even brave enough to attend his funeral..."

"I'm sorry, Regina." I knew the cruel reality of the Frey, but words were never enough in these situations.

"So am I. But I swore from that point on, I wouldn't let my mother decide who was worthy of my love. Don't presume to tell me that you aren't my type Master Sergeant, that's something only_ I_ get to decide."


	24. Chapter 24

**Falling in the Frey**

**Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.**

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

**A HUGE thank you to my awesome beta, Elodealeaf. Without her skills, this story wouldn't be nearly as good.**

**As always, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who reads, favorites...and especially to those who take a moment to post feedback to my chapters. I feel the love 3 **

**...**

**Chapter Twenty-four**

I slept well that night; I had already assigned Blanchard to take the night guard duty rotation since I had been drinking. One could argue that I only had one beer, but still, if something had gone down and I wasn't 100% prepared, neither I nor the Army would have ever forgiven me. We were still sequestered at Camp Azor, but yesterday went really well and I hoped that today would, too. I slept in longer than normal, knowing I was probably in sleep deprivation from the past few weeks.

Regina would be with Staff Sergeant Nolan at the shooting range. Sergeant Blanchard I could see was sleeping in her bunk next to mine, and Sergeant Graham had the early part of the morning off. He was scheduled to take the guard of Ms. Mills at 1100 and work with her through lunchtime on survival techniques. The man was a natural. If I didn't know better I would swear he was raised in a forest.

The shower house was empty by the time I got there at 0800; most soldiers were either already at their duty stations or sleeping so I had the place to myself. I let the hot water cascade over my body as I took stock of my various bumps and bruises from the day before. My right knee took the brunt of the damage, having been kicked multiple times by Regina as she worked to release my chokehold on her. Hand to hand combat, even in practice was bound to leave a mark and today was going to be more brutal than yesterday. Once I finished up and dressed in my BDUs, I took the time to braid my hair before heading to the mess hall. Ruby was nowhere in sight, so I just took my tray of food and quickly finished it off before I headed up to the Administrative Building to have my morning meeting with Lieutenant Mulan.

"Good morning, Lieutenant." I entered her office two minutes early and sat down in the chair across her desk.

"Good Morning, Master Sergeant, how did things go yesterday?" She focused her attention on me.

"They went well." I smiled.

"And were you able to get any information out of Ms. Mills regarding her company?"

"Staff Sergeant Nolan talked to her a bit, but nothing substantial. I honestly didn't bring the subject up; I wanted her to be part of the team, not on the defensive with us." I confessed.

"I understand that, but once these team building activities of yours are finished, I expect that you will try to gain some concrete information. That is the purpose of getting her to trust you, right?"

"Not entirely. My main purpose was to build trust so she would open up to Dr. Hopper. That way, we could get off of restrictions and back to doing our mission." There was no way I could tell her that I was enjoying getting to know the civilian.

"Master Sergeant, allow me to remind you that part of your mission is to gather intel on Ms. Mills. Her company seems to be playing a dangerous game and we need to know if she is a participant in their deception or not." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

"Yes, ma'am, I am aware of my entire mission." I resented her assumption that I hadn't been doing my job; hell, I had been busting my ass to try and make things work for both the Army and my team...including Ms. Mills.

She stared hard at me for a moment before continuing. "Ms. Mills received an incoming video chat last night from her mother." She turned the computer monitor around so that we both could see it. "Intel has been gathering more evidence specifically against Cora Mills, so this video proved to be of great interest to them." She pushed the play key and the image of Regina showed on the monitor.

_"Hello Mother, how are you?" Regina sat in front of her laptop and turned on her camera._

_"There you are my dear. Did you just get out of the shower?"_

_Regina ran her hands through her slick backed hair. "No, um...I took a shower just a bit ago, so that's why I look like this." _

_"How are you holding up in Freylache?" _

_"I'm okay, it's hard sometimes, but I'm doing alright." Regina's back stiffened._

_"Well, I'm just concerned, as any good mother should be. Sydney has taken the initiative to dig deeper into the backgrounds of your bodyguards. I have to say I'm quite concerned about the caliber of people that the Army is hiring."_

_"What do you mean? Information about the soldiers? They've been nothing but professional mother, I am in safe hands."_

_"Perhaps you think so, but after this investigation Sydney just finished, I shudder to think that I sent my daughter to Freylache with a common criminal. This Emma Swan, she spent most of her teenage years in jail and once she turned eighteen she had the choice of prison or the Army." _ I felt my heart pumping as she told Regina about my past.

_"Why was she in jail?" _

_"Sydney is digging into that, the case file seems to be well sealed. That and she was married to a woman; can you even imagine the debauchery that lies within her soul? You can't trust her Regina; with your life or with your valuables." _Now I was pissed. Sure I screwed up as a kid, but now I was an honorable woman, dedicated soldier and there was nothing wrong with being married to a woman. Of that last part, I hoped Regina agreed.

_Cora flipped through what looked like a thick folder. "Now the others aren't so bad. Mary Margaret Blanchard, for example, comes from an upper class family. Her father was a diplomat, her mother died when she was young. And David Nolan was raised on a very small ranch by a single mother after his father was killed in battle when he was a baby. There is record of a twin brother, James, but we haven't been able to trace him yet. This Graham character is another concern for me; there isn't a lot of information available on him, which makes me suspicious. Sydney is looking into him further, too."_

_"Why are you telling me all this? Do you want me to cancel the rest of my trip?" Regina sounded confused._

_"No, no...I need you to stay there and finish taking care of business. Give away the armor so we have a nice tax write-off for this year. Between that and funding your trip, the company will be able to cover the losses. At least enough to keep the government's nose out of our business."_

_"The business is doing well though. Last month's financials showed that we were ahead of our goals for the year. We shouldn't have to cover any losses."_

_"Regina, you do a fine job handling the day to day operations of the company, but there's more to the business then you're aware. I'm just making sure that some of our...investments will be profitable in the long term. But, in the short term they have a lot of overhead that we need to hide."_

_"Mother." Regina's pitch rose. "I'm not sure it's the safest thing to be talking like this when I'm at a government military camp. What if they are tracing this?"_

_Her mother gave a shrill laugh. "Oh my silly girl, this video is very well encrypted; they have no chance of cracking the coding. George was so nice to tell us what programs their intelligence department uses for tracing calls. We are miles ahead of them technologically." Cora's expression hardened and her voice was dangerously low. "Do you think me a fool, Regina?"_

_Regina sat back. "No, mother, of course not."_

_"Then never doubt that I assured that we could talk freely. I have too much at stake to risk it on a mere chat with you." She gave her daughter a cold smile. "You just do your job and trust me to do mine." A chime was heard in the background and Cora turned to talk to someone before returning to the monitor. "Regina, I have an appointment I need to attend to. I'll call you with more information soon." Ms. Mills' computer monitor went black, so she closed the laptop and walked away from her desk._

"Guess the encryption wasn't so hard to break." I joked.

"Actually the information this George gave to Cora Mills was incorrect. Our programs are vastly superior to hers, it took intel less than ten seconds to break the code and record the video."

"Do they know who George is?" I had my suspicions, but they were unfounded.

"Yes, they do. But that is not our concern here in Freylache."

"Understood, Lieutenant." I had my hands full as it was.

I considered everything that Regina's mother had told her. On one hand there was the business side, which I would leave to others to deal with. But Cora had told her personal, private information about each of my team. "Do you think this information will sway her in trusting my team?"

"I would recommend not sharing the details with your team. It sounds like you are the one her mother is trying to undermine. But at least you know what you're dealing with and won't be blindsided. The challenge will be to find out how she feels without letting her know you know about the video." She turned the monitor back around to face her. "Let me know what you find out. I have nothing more for today's meeting."

I nodded, trying to decide how, or if, to broach the subject with Ms. Mills. "Oh, will you be there today?"

"I will. See you at 1600 hours?"

I stood to leave. "Great, see ya then." I debated going to the gun range to hang out with Nolan and Regina, but decided it would be best to let them bond and for me to figure things out.

...

_"Good morning, Ms. Mills, Sergeant Blanchard." David gave a disarming smile to the women as they entered the gun range and came to sit with him at the picnic table of Range One._

_"Good morning Staff Sergeant Nolan." Mary Margaret gave a shy smile._

_"Staff Sergeant." Regina answered distractedly as she eyed the various weapons on the table. _

_David noticed her curiosity and laughed. "Today, Ms. Mills, we move beyond pistols and into the heavy artillery."_

_"Excellent." She murmured as she slowly ran a fingernail up the long barrel of the M-4 rifle. _

_Blanchard stood. "I'd better get some rest. See you all this afternoon. You have the watch."_

_"I have the watch." Nolan smiled and gave her a quick wave; Regina ignored her._

_Once Blanchard has disappeared around the corner of the building, Nolan turned his full attention to the civilian. "You ready to shoot shit up?"_

_"You have no idea." Regina twisted her neck, hearing a satisfying pop. She had been unsettled since the evening with Emma, which ended too abruptly for her. Unanswered questions swimmed in her brain as she tried to study her hand signals later that night. The video chat with her mother left her even more uneasy. She had told her mother that she trusted her; but the truth, she finally concluded, was that she didn't. Not anymore. It seemed the longer she was away from the Republic, the less her mother was able to manipulate her. Still, the information about Emma's past did cause her concern. It was more that she had to find it out from her mother, rather than Emma, that upset her the most._

_"Great, let's start out with the pistol you trained on yesterday and take it from there." He handed her the loaded gun as they stood at the line of the shooting range. She checked it, to ensure it was loaded properly, kicked the safety to off and systematically unloaded eleven bullets at the target's head. Four of them missed, but seven of them left holes inside the outline of the target._

_"Nice shooting. Should I be worried?" Nolan half joked._

_"Not unless you're a paper target. Otherwise, you should be safe." _

_She reloaded her gun and this time aimed at the torso of the target. Eleven shots later, she started to feel a bit more in control of her emotions and her aim. "What's next?"_

_Nolan showed her how to stand to hold the M-16 rifle, explaining the difference between the force of the handgun versus the physics of the rifle. He watched as she braced herself properly before looking through the sight. She emptied the thirty bullets into a fresh paper target that had been set one hundred yards out. Her first dozen shots sprayed wildly before she gained control of the weapon. The rest of the shots at least hit somewhere on the target, though not where she was aiming._

_"Now in the field, sometimes we have to shoot from a lower angle." He explained as he reloaded the clip. "In those instances we use a bipod type brace on the muzzle." He set it up on the ground. "And lay on our stomachs like this, placing the gun here." He showed her as he set the weapon up. "Now you shoot it from there."_

_She didn't notice the cold, hard ground as she lied down on it. Her focus was entirely on the weapon and then, as she positioned her body behind the rifle, on the target ahead. Again, she looked through the scope, eyeing the head drawn on the paper target and unloaded the thirty round magazine. "That was good." She spoke as she stood up and dusted herself off. "I like the control of that."_

_"Then time for you to shoot the bad boy." Nolan held up the M-249 saw. "This, is an automatic weapon, so all you do is aim and pull the trigger. It has the capacity to shoot seven-hundred and fifty rounds per minute, so it's a beast." He tapped the box attached to the weapon. "This box has two hundred bullets, so you'll have about twenty seconds of pure firepower." Again, he showed her how to safely handle the weapon before handing it over to her. She mimicked his stance and, bracing herself, opened fire. _

_Once the bullets were gone, she set the gun down and grinned. "That was impressive." _

_He gave her a wide smile. "That's why I love being the main fire-power of the team."_

_"Is that what you were shooting in the fight on the way back from Volpure?" She remembered he was in the turret during the ride and the battle._

_"No, I didn't have one with me, I was shooting the M-16. Usually the machine gun is issued when our fire team is on foot in a high risk area." _

_"Well, the M-16 did it's job well. So did you." She said quietly._

_"Thank you." _

_"What made you join the Army?" She asked as they sat at the table, cleaning their weapons._

_"I was drafted when I was eighteen. I was lucky enough to test well in infantry skills to be trained for this job."_

_"Your parents must worry about you."_

_"My mother hates that I'm still in the military. The draft requires four years of service, but I decided to make it my career. My father was a soldier, he died when I was an infant."_

_"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know," she lied._

_"Well, now you do." He gave her a sad smile._

_"Any siblings?" She was wondering how truthful he would be._

_"I had a twin brother."_

_"Had?" She felt bad for pressing, but she needed to know if she could trust him._

_"He was killed by a dragon."_

_"Excuse me?" She almost laughed at the incredulous statement._

_"It's a local motorcycle gang, the Dragons. He got in a street fight with their leader, some guy nicknamed Behemoth. James died when we were only seventeen." He spoke without emotion, focusing on reassembling the weapons. "How about you? Any siblings?"_

_She was surprised he was interested, but figured he was just making polite conversation. "No, I'm an only child, lucky me."_

_"Sole heir to the kingdom, eh?" He softly laughed._

_"Something like that." She shrugged. _

_"Well," He stood and packed everything away. "Looks like it's time for your training with Sergeant Graham." _

_She turned and noticed the soldier standing outside of the range area. "Survival techniques with Graham. Should be interesting." She mused as she handed Nolan her weapon._

_"He's actually amazing. Once, when our team wasn't able to make it back to the combat post, he managed to build housing, hunt and feed all twelve of us."_

_"Twelve? I thought there are only four of you." _

_"Only one fire team was assigned to escort you, but our full squad has three teams of four soldiers."_

_"And who is in charge of you?"_

_He cocked his head. "Master Sergeant Swan is the squad leader."_

_"Oh. I thought she was just in charge of your team."_

_"Nope, she runs the show for the whole squad."_

_"How long has your squad been together?" She tried to understand how it all worked._

_He hesitated answering. "Most of us have been together for two years. We lost some of our team last time in the Frey, so there are new members that have been with us for five months now."_

_"Lost as in...?" The crease in her forehead deepened._

_"Injured, killed." He replied tersely. "It's not something I like to talk about. Maybe you can ask Master Sergeant Swan for more information if you need it." He ran his fingers through his short hair._

_"I'm sorry." She reached out and touched his arm. "I didn't mean to upset you."_

_"It's alright, you didn't know." He walked her to the range entrance. "You have the guard, Graham."_

_"I have the guard." Graham watched as Nolan quickly strode away. "Well, Ms. Mills, ready to have some fun?"_

_She watched as Nolan turned and walked quickly towards the main camp. "Sure, let's do it." _


	25. Chapter 25

**Falling in the Frey**

Summary: (AU) Master Sergeant Emma Swan and her team are commissioned to escort and protect Ms. Regina Mills, a feisty civilian, in the warzone of Freylache.

Pairings:Emma/Regina (eventually)

Disclaimers:I do not own OUaT or any of it's characters. I do, however, like to take them out of their boxes and play with them.

A/N: This story is not meant to reflect any real life countries, wars or militaries. I have never served in the military, so I hope my research and personal life experiences are sufficient to create a realistic story.

A HUGE thank you to my awesome beta,**_ Elodealeaf._** Without her skills, this story wouldn't be nearly as good.

As always, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who reads, favorites...and especially to those who take a moment to post feedback to my chapters. For those of you hoping for more Regina & Emma interaction...this one's for you ;)

**Chapter Twenty-five**

_Regina watched as Graham laid out various items on the ground. He double checked his piles before turning to her. "Alright Ms. Mills, let's begin. What are the basic things you need to survive?"_

_"Food, shelter and water." She recited from memory._

_"Good, let's start with those. Fortunately the Army gives us some basics to work with: like a knife, waterproof matches, rope, a water filter and an emergency blanket." He held up the small metallic package. Regina was hard pressed to believe it was a pillowcase, let alone a blanket. "We'll focus first on building a fire."_

_The morning went quickly as Regina struggled to remember everything Graham taught her. How to build a shelter, how to start a fire, building a snare, purifying water, as well as how to make a basic fishing pole and, most importantly, how to hide and how to be found. Regina was tired, she was hungry and she was finding herself irritated at the slightest things. A headache began as a dull pain behind her eyes, adding to her misery._

_Just when she thought she'd reached her breaking point, the Sergeant announced that the training was finished. "I'll take you back to your tent, ma'am. Master Sergeant Swan will meet us there."_

_Regina found that her irritation abated slightly at the thought of seeing Emma. "Sounds good to me." She rubbed her forehead as she waited for him to extinguish the fire._

_You have the guard." Graham announced when Emma arrived for duty. _

_"I have the guard. How did training go?" _

_"I think it was a lot for her to absorb. Perhaps with some time and practice she'll feel more comfortable with the skills." _

_"Let's hope none of us will need them this trip. Have a good afternoon Sergeant, see you at 1600 hours."_

...

I watched as Sergeant Graham walked away and towards his tent. He looked tired and I knew that he wasn't the only one feeling the strain. "Good afternoon, Ms. Mills. I brought lunch if you want it."

She poked her head out of the door. "I'd love some. Did you bring enough for you, too?"

I had, but I didn't want to assume that I would be invited to join her. I planned to just eat mine while I guarded her from my usual spot. "Yeah, but I can just eat out here."

"Nonsense, Master Sergeant, join me for lunch."

I hesitated, nervous about being one on one with her. My brain told me to focus on the job, stay alive and get back home to Henry. My heart, on the other hand, had different plans. "Okay, I'll be right in."

I sat down on the lone chair while she sat on her bunk. It was dark and warm inside, both of which made me want to lay down and sleep. I imagined us spooning on her bed, my arm wrapped tightly around her as I drew her closer and smelled her clean hair. "Um, would you mind if I rolled up the tent sides?" I decided my daydreaming needed to stop.

"I don't know what you mean." She stayed seated as I walked outside and unlatched the hooks from the frame. I went back in and untangled the drawstrings in one corner of the wooden-framed structure. I pulled on one rope which raised the canvas sides, exposing the mosquito screen and bringing in some much needed light and fresh air. It also gave a lovely view of the concrete wall that surrounded the barrack.

"Oh." She gave me a small grin. "That's much better. You know, this place reminds me of when I stayed at the Royal Regent Suites. Of course, the view there is a little better." I had to look at her to see if she was kidding. She just shrugged her shoulders, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. "I like what they've done to the exterior." She gestured towards the tall cement wall. "I might have to consider adding this to my mansion back in the Republic."

"Do you really live in a mansion?" I wouldn't have been surprised at all if she said yes.

"No, I live in a loft in the Mills Corporation building. It's part of my employee benefit package. That or I live in a castle; you decide."

I laughed and she joined in. "Ms. Mills, If people found out you had a sense of humor, they might mistake you for being human." I teased.

"Then it's a good thing only you know my secret. I'd say I'd have to kill you now; but unfortunately it seems I wasn't issued a gun, so I can't shoot you." She deadpanned back.

In my shock I almost dropped the food basket over her display of humor. _At least I thought she was joking..._

"Thank you." I replied. "For being so cooperative."

She arched her eyebrow at me. "Emma, I'm not always a bitch, and sometimes I can even manage to survive for weeks in a," she waved her hand around the tent, "VIP house instead of a luxury hotel room with a verandah. Plus, there's even room service here, so I can't complain. What's for lunch? Prime rib or cheese sandwiches?"

I grinned as I pulled the food out of the basket. "Um, looks like tuna fish sandwiches on wheat bread, but on the bright side we each have a bag of chips and an apple."

She snagged the apple as I gently tossed it to her. "Any dessert?"

I checked. "Yep, double chocolate chip cookies." I showed her the pre-wrapped packages.

"Well then, it's a feast." Regina teased me before she took a bite of her sandwich. We ate in comfortable silence. I think we each were checking the other out when we thought the other wasn't looking.

_Regina appreciated the honest strength that emanated from the blonde, people followed her out of loyalty and honor, not out of fear. The businesswoman knew the same could not be said about her; at work she knew her employees bitterly called her The Queen behind her back. To the world she was a ruthless, conniving, and heartless lawyer who ran her parents' company with a steel fist. She knew it was a sham; all she wanted was to be happy, to live her life how she wanted to. The true steel fist belonged to her mother, who ran her daughter's life under the pretense of only wanting what was best for Regina. Her mother was, she mused, her true weakness; she let the woman mold her into the life she now unwillingly led. _

I noisily opened the small foil bag, laughing as Regina startled and gave me a haughty glare. "Could you be any louder, Master Sergeant?"

"Sure." I sniggered before I put a handful of the chips in my mouth and crunched loudly.

"Really, sometimes you're like a child." She rolled her eyes.

"What can I say? I've learned all my tricks from my pre-teen son." I smiled before I tried to quietly eat one chip. "Better?"

"Much." Regina conceded. I think she was amused, but she refused to show it.

I could see right through Regina's armor; I saw the sadness and fear that the brunette tried to hide from the world. _A wounded soul._ I thought, knowing the signs of someone who had been abused. My own childhood had been a parade of foster parents. Some, of course, were kind and loving adults. Others abused the system, having eight children sharing two bedrooms while they reaped the money from the government. Others abused the children, including me. I learned how to tell the signs, how to know if my new placement was going to be full of love or of hate. Watching the video chats between Regina and Cora, I knew the abuse continued.

"Haven't you ever done anything childish?" I asked as she popped another chip into her mouth.

"Please. Do I look like someone who acts like a juvenile?"

"No." I admitted. "But have you ever wanted to do something silly just for fun?"

"What I want and what I do are often not the same." I noticed Regina clenching her hands.

"Yeah, sucks being a responsible adult." I nodded.

"Why did you join the Army?"

"Why did you become a lawyer?" I quickly countered.

"You first."

"Well, I don't usually share this story to someone I haven't known for a long time, but you asked. I was in jail from the time I was sixteen. When I turned eighteen I was given a choice. Serve in the military for four years, or go to prison for three. I saw the Army as a chance to have a fresh start. Your turn."

Regina stared through the screen at the concrete wall outside. "It was that or become a doctor. My parents were willing to pay for my schooling if I chose from those two careers."

"So you chose law?"

"My mother strongly suggested it." Regina sighed.

"Why did your parents choose to market combat armor. I can't image your mother interested in such a thing."

"It was my father's idea actually. He was an engineer when the Army recruited him to serve as an officer. He served in the military with General King back when George was just a Captain. They served in the same platoon for a year in the Frey. Anyways, my father told me that one day, towards the end of their tour, they were engaged in combat and my father was shot. His armor barely slowed The 9mm bullet before it lodged itself in the right side of his chest. He was disabled and honorably discharged from service. He took the armor home with him and discovered the flaw in it's design. From that point forward he dedicated himself to improving combat armor. He was thrilled when our company was chosen as a sub-contractor for the military. My mother was, and is, a businesswoman through and through. He focuses on the design and testing, she works on the marketing and running the company. She has taken to training me now that she appointed me as the company COO."

"Does your dad still do the design?" I remember David told me they outsourced the testing.

"No, unfortunately daddy's brain isn't what it used to be. He doesn't have a firm grasp of figures and concepts anymore."

"Dementia?" I knew I was prying.

"No, he still has his memories about everything. He just...he's been declining for a couple years now." I felt the sadness as it encompassed her.

"So, your mom is the CEO? Will you get that job when she retires?"

She gave a sharp laugh. "I don't see my mother ever retiring. She likes the control of running a large company. But, I suppose if she ever did step down, I would apply for the job."

She didn't sound too enthused about the prospect, so I asked. "What would you have picked if you could have done anything?"

"I think I would have liked politics. There was a time that I really did like people." She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I would have done well."

I grinned. "Yes you would have, Madame President."

"No, no, no." Regina laughed. "Madame Mayor will suffice. How about you?"

I thought about the question for the first time in a very long time.. "It's ironic, I know, but I think I would have gone into law enforcement."

"Sheriff Swan, it has a nice ring to it." Her eyes twinkled as she smiled. "Are you planning on eating your apple.?" She noticed I had ignored the fruit in favor eating the cookies.

"No, you want it?" I held it out to the brunette.

"Thank you." Regina reached out, our fingers brushing as she accepted my gift. I felt the butterflies let loose in my stomach at the quick touch. I hoped she would trust me, knowing that I had been honest about my time in jail and my choice of the military. But more than that, I hoped she saw me as _more_ than just a soldier.

"Tell me about your boy." Her voice was soft.

I cocked her head. "What do you want to know?"

She patted the space on the bed beside her. "Whatever you want to tell me."

I joined her, justifying that it would be easier to show her his photo. Her bunk was sturdier than mine, softer too. "Wow, you actually have a decent mattress." I ran my hand over the bedding.

"It's part of the VIP package, I'm sure. Is that him?" She asked as I pulled a picture from the inside of my helmet.

"Yeah." I grinned as I looked at him.

"And that is...your sister?" She pointed to the blonde woman behind Henry.

"No, that's my ex-wife, Kelly. We share custody."

"Oh."

"She's a great parent, but a lousy spouse. We were married three years."

"Ah." Again she gave a single word response.

"Anyway, Henry is an inquisitive, sensitive boy. If we left him to his own devices he would do nothing but read all day. We try to give him a balance in life. He plays sports on base and is learning how to play the trombone.

"You went to his basketball game before we left the base."

"Yeah, I go to all his games when I'm at Fort Brookes. I have custody of him between tours to the Frey."

"That must be nice, to have someone who loves you unconditionally." Her voice sounded sad.

"When he was young, he practically worshiped the ground I walked on. Now, he's more independent and challenges my decisions. But yeah, he loves me and knows that I love him." I felt the tears prick at my eyes as I realized how much I missed my baby boy. "Do you want children someday?"

Her shoulders slumped at my question. "Yes, but unfortunately I'm unable to bear a child."

"I'm sorry." I put my hand on hers. "We adopted Henry when he was a baby. There's more than one way to become a mom." I assured her.

Her free hand ran through her hair. "It's probably best that I don't." She sighed. "Besides, I think it would difficult to raise a child alone."

"Why would you have to do it alone?"

The knock at the door interrupted our conversation. "Master Sergeant, it's 1540, time to go." Nolan's voice came from outside the barrack.

"Thank you Staff Sergeant, we'll be right out." I turned to Regina and ran my hand up her bare arm. "I want to finish this conversation later, okay? But we have to get going."

"Perhaps." She stood and we both put on our BDU jackets and grabbed our helmets. I put Henry's picture back inside of mine before I cleaned up the small mess from lunch and carried the basket out with me.

Nolan was waiting outside, also dressed in full BDU gear. "The others will meet us there." He said as we joined him in the walk through the camp. "Ms. Mills, the team, including you, is going to participate in a mock battle similar to the one we watched yesterday."

"Really?" Her voice sounded surprised and I tried to see if she seemed excited or displeased at the venture. "Do I get to pick my weapon?"

Okay, she was excited, which was good.

"You can pick either the pistol or the rifle. No machine guns allowed in these battles." He laughed.

"Hmmm, I think I'll go for the rifle. Maybe I can hide well enough to pick the enemy off without being seen."

"A fellow sniper." David praised her. "That's a good strategy. The third alleyway on the west side of the main road has a window that's only loosely boarded up. You can climb through there and get inside the building. Top floor has a broken window to shoot from."

"Ms. Mills, I'll stick with you, I know where it is." I offered.

"Thanks." She smiled at me. "It'll be nice to know you have my back."

"And you mine." I agreed. We walked down the small path to the range. Checking in, we exchanged our meal cards for the range passes, weapons and rubber ammo. We were each issued a red patch for our jackets. "Welcome to being a Republic soldier, Specialist Mills." I called her by her honorary rank.

We walked over to join our team who were waiting in the Republic staging area. I watched Regina's reaction as she realized who all was there to fight on our team. She seemed overwhelmed as Lieutenant Mulan, Major Archie Hopper, Corporal Ruby Hood, Corporal Ashley Boyd and Private Aurora Phillips all approached and welcomed her. Even I was surprised to see Captain Lucas in battle gear with a crossbow, instead of an apron and chef's hat. "I'm Captain Lucas." She introduced herself to Regina. "I run the mess hall and canteen."

Regina smiled at the older woman. "I have to say the food is much better than I anticipated. Would you be willing to share your recipe for your twice-baked potatoes?" I thought she was joking until she added. "I tasted garlic, butter and what I first thought was Basil, but it had a sweeter flavor."

"You have a good palate." The cook smiled. "It was Majorum, not Basil. I'll bring you the recipe, but I warn you it's written for one hundred portions, so you'll have to cut it quite a few times." She laughed heartily.

"Why is everyone here?" Regina inched towards me and asked the question in a low voice. I was grateful when Major Hopper answered the question for me.

"Because you need to know that you aren't alone in this, Specialist Mills. The Army provides a whole support system for its soldiers. Today we fight together on a battlefield, but everyday we work together for the good of all. You're a part of something much bigger than yourself when you're here in the Frey."

Regina was quiet for a moment before she answered him softly. "Thank you Major." Archie smiled and walked away, focusing on checking his weapon.

"You ready for this?" I asked her.

She held up her rifle and nodded. "I've got your back, but be warned, I'm a sore loser so we better win this battle."

"Remind me not to play Monopoly with you." I teased.

"I never lose at that game." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the other teams. "Which side of the street is west?"

"The right side. The third alley has three windows, it's the rear left one that's loose." I recalled.

"Then that's where we'll go."

"Keep low, it's a bloodbath for the first few seconds when they release the teams." I warned her. "Just stay behind me and follow where I go." I watched as Nolan, Blanchard and Graham discussed tactics with Ruby. Apparently she was chosen as the fourth member of their fireteam. I was glad they decided to work together with her; too often people overlooked her combat skills because of her flirtatious nature.

"I will always follow you." I heard her say just as the bell rang and the gates opened onto the fake town.

We kept our heads down and quickly worked our way to the right side of the street. Ducking into the alley we stepped over a "dead" body of an insurgent. I found the window and we crawled through it before I secured the board from the inside. We moved, back to back, sweeping the area with our rifles as we worked our way to the top floor. "Position yourself in the corner and keep low." I instructed her as I crept along the floor to avoid being seen. "Put just the tip of your muzzle out the window so you aren't seen." I watched as she followed my instructions. "Now, have fun."

I peered out a window to the scene below us. My team was still alive, working their way along the street. I watched as they disappeared in an alley and moments later reappeared on the roof of a building. Nolan searched quickly and found me, signing that there was a sniper in a building across the street and two buildings down from us. "Regina." I called. "Sniper in the blue building, third floor."

"I see him." She replied as she looked through her scope and braced her body. The sniper stood and ripped off his yellow patch, changing it to black.

"Nice shot!" I yelled.

"It wasn't mine that hit him." She pulled back into the corner as a bullet went through a window frame and bounced off the wall behind us.

"We've been sighted!" I signaled to her to keep down and guard my back." She crawled to hide behind a couch and turned her rifle to the entrance to the staircase while I peeked out my window. Nolan signaled where the shooters were hiding and I methodically picked them off one by one until all five were "killed."

"Swan." I spun around when I heard Regina's voice. She signaled that three soldiers were coming up the stairs. I hid behind a table that had been turned on its side and pointed my muzzle at the doorway.

She shot first, hitting the insurgent in the shoulder. He threw down his helmet in disgust as he laid on the wooden floor. I hit the next one in the chest, but the third one ran back down the stairs before we could shoot her. I quickly crawled to the window and signaled to Ruby that there was one who escaped. I watched as she raised her rifle and shot the woman as soon as she exited our building. "Let's go." I ordered. "We're sitting ducks here."

We softly worked our way down the staircase, once again working back to back in case we were ambushed. We exited the building and hid behind a car in the street. I sensed the shooter before I saw him; without thinking I threw myself on Regina and pinned her down. I waited for the impact of the bullet, but it never came. Looking up, I saw Archie on the sidewalk, his black arm patch a testament to his sacrifice. The shooter was down, too, thanks to the Major. I shifted back into shooter position and pulled Regina up next to me. Her eyes were wide when she realized that he took the bullet for us. "Focus, Mills, don't let his death be in vain." Yeah, it was a mock battle, but I knew in that moment that he would have done the exact same thing had it been real.

We stayed hidden for the next few moments, until the bell sounded that the battle was over. We walked towards the exit and turned in our red patches. I watched as the others came through, mostly with red patches, but a few with black ones. Regina, though, focused only on Doctor Hopper as he came through and turned in his black patch to the range staff. Her eyes continued to follow him as he joined Lieutenant Mulan and they walked together to turn in their weapons.

"You all stayed alive." I welcomed my team and Ruby as they gathered around us.

"You guys did, too." Blanchard grinned.

"I thought you were goners when those three insurgents rushed your location." Graham added.

"Specialist Mills took out the first one, I got the second and Ruby," I turned and pulled her into a hug. "she shot the last one. Great job, Corporal."

"What can I say, I'm not just a pretty face on the food line."

Captain Lucas joined us, clasping a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Girl, it's good to know that I can count on you if the camp is ever under attack."

"Why the crossbow, Captain?" Graham noted her weapon.

"I was raised in the south, out in the country. My family was poor, so we hunted with bows to survive. I learned how to make even muskrat stew palatable with the right spices. I joined the Army during the wars in the Kanjagi region.. We blended in with the natives as much as possible, using bows instead of guns so the enemy couldn't hear us coming and couldn't tell who killed them. Once the war was finished, I switched to culinary arts and went through college on the Army's dime. Then I was selected for officer's school and went from there."

I had a newfound respect at the woman I thought just slung hash. She must've been fierce to survive that war which, history books said, was ten times more violent than the one here in the Frey. Most soldiers only did the four years that were required by the Republic. Some, like me, were on the twenty year plan where we would retire with full pension in our late thirties. I estimated that Captain Lucas had probably served about thirty-five years now.

"You probably wonder why I'm still in the military." She noted our quiet faces. "It's my home, it's my family and I love it. Even when I can only offer porridge for breakfast, I do it with respect and love for my fellow soldiers." Her arm was around Ruby now and the younger girl had tears in her eyes. I knew Ruby's story and realized that Captain Lucas had become like a mother to her. "Well, enough gawking at the old lady for now, I've got a meal to serve, I hope the other cooks didn't screw it up in my absence." She shook her head, her grey hair poking out from beneath her helmet, and walked away from the group.

"I'll never look at porridge the same way again." Blanchard voiced as Nolan nodded in agreement.

"Well I was going to insist that Blanchard buy my Burger Queen meal that she owes me, but I'd rather go to the mess hall tonight." Graham added.

"Well, we can all go and eat together then." I decided and the team all agreed.

After dinner I had a few free hours before the night time guard watch. I decided that sleep was in order and took advantage of the time to catch up on my rest. I lied on my bed, trying to sleep, but it eluded me. My head was full of thoughts about Regina and though I tried to push them aside, they persistently pushed back. Frustrated, I grabbed my mp3 player and headphones and turned on relaxing music. It did the trick and I was asleep before the first song ended.

My alarm rang three hours later, waking me from my slumber. I checked my watch and turned off the alarm. My headphones were still in my ears, though the music on the mp3 player had stopped, so I pulled them off and packed them away in my bag. It was dark outside and chilly, I realized as I stepped out the barrack door. I went back in and retrieved a heavier coat to wear for the night, as well as a beanie hat to wear under my helmet. At least it would keep my ears warm, even if it did look kinda silly.

"I have the guard." I greeted Sergeant Graham in front of Regina's barrack. "How'd the evening go?

"You have the guard. It went well, the team all went down to the rec hall and hung out."

"Sorry I missed it."

"Well, um, I've got a date, so I'm gonna..." He gestured towards the rec hall.

"Go, go. Have fun, Sergeant. See you tomorrow." I took up my post and watched him leave. I heard the door open and close again behind me, but I didn't turn around. "Madame Mayor?" I teased her.

"Good evening, Sheriff Swan. I missed you after dinner." Her voice was soft as she stood close behind me. "It's chilly out tonight, I was hoping you could lower the tent flaps to help keep in the warmth."

"Oh, of course." I kicked myself for forgetting to do it earlier. A small light was shining from the desk; it was enough to illuminate the room so I could see what I was doing. As soon as I lowered the sides, I went back outside to secure the hooks before returning to my post.

"Are you sure you don't want to guard me from inside the tent? I brought hot chocolate back from the rec hall."

I debated if I could properly do my job from inside. At the very least, I justified, if we were attacked, I'd be close enough to protect her. I went back inside and, after removing my helmet and beanie cap, accepted the disposable cup of cocoa. "This is nice, thank you." I smiled at the brunette as she sat on her bed and sipped her own drink.

"I added a touch of cinnamon. Sergeant Blanchard mentioned you liked it." Her smile was shy.

"I noticed." I was warmed by her thoughtfulness. "So, how are you doing?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. "I'm alright." She sat silently, toying with the lip of her cup. "I was wondering, I mean I know it's late and all..."

"What?" I asked softly.

She straightened up and looked me in the eye. "I'd like to go talk to Doctor Hopper tonight."

"Why now?" I looked at my watch. 2235, yeah it was late.

"Because," she answered honestly. "if I don't do it now, I might not have the nerve to do it later."

I drained the last of my cocoa and stood. "Alright then, let's go see if the Doctor is in."

We both dressed warmly for the walk, the wind had picked up and my face was chilled as we walked down the road. We stopped at the check-in desk of the admin building. It was deserted save for two MPs who manned the desk. "May I help you, ma'am?" The young man asked.

"Yes, Corporal. I need to reach Major Archie Hopper tonight."

"His office is closed until tomorrow."

No kidding. I thought as I rubbed my face. "I realize that. So I need you to either page him or tell me his barrack number." I tapped my fingers on the counter.

"He's located in barrack O16." He finally informed me.

"Thank you." I turned and, with Regina in tow, headed towards the officers' housing area. I was glad there was a light on in his tent when we approached his quarters. I knocked softly on the wooden door and waited.

Moments later he opened the door, dressed in BDU trousers and a long sleeved olive t-shirt. "Master Sergeant, can I help you?" He squinted at me.

Regina stepped beside me. "Actually Doctor Hopper, I requested to see you. I know it's very late, but I was hoping we could talk."

He put his glasses on and nodded. "Of course, Ms. Mills. But the Master Sergeant will have to accompany you. It's against regulations for you to be in here alone with me."

She looked at me and then nodded. "That's fine, she can hear what I have to say." He opened the door wider and we both came inside. His barrack was larger than Regina's and, besides his bed, there was enough space for his desk and chair, as well as two more chairs that sat side by side.

"Please, have a seat." He ran his fingers through his unruly red curls before he reached over and made a point of turning on the recorder. "How can I help you, Ms. Mills?"

She ran her hands up and down her thighs and took a deep breath. "You took a bullet for me."

He cocked his head. "It was a piece of rubber."

"But, still, you intentionally put yourself in harm's way. Why?" Her eyes darkened.

"Because that's what I'm trained to do; to help and protect others."

"I've never had people do that before. Emma covered me with her own body and you stepped in the line of fire." She turned to me. "You didn't have to do that."

"I did. We both did. I knew you didn't see the shooter, so you wouldn't have stood a chance. At least by covering you I gave him a poor shot at killing us."

Doctor Hopper listened to me before adding his own thoughts. "I had told you that you're part of something bigger than yourself. When a soldier says they have your back, it isn't just a cliché." He smiled.

"I was afraid in the Frey." Her words were quiet in the dimly lit tent. "I watched eight people die and all I could think of was Daniel."

"Daniel?" Doctor Hopper asked.

"He was my fiancée, many years ago. He died in a firefight in the Frey. I froze up when I saw the roadblock ahead of us. I was paralyzed with my fear that everyone was going to die like he did. But they didn't..."

"But you did see men die that day." He replied gently.

"Yes. I did. And I needed to know why they died. How it was their armor didn't protect them. So I insisted the team to go back to the scene and retrieve some armor."

"What did you discover?"

"They were wearing body armor from PPI, a company affiliated with Mills Combat Vestments. I don't know how they got that armor, inferior as it was. That armor was initially MCV armor, but it didn't pass our standards, so we passed it on."

"How does that make you feel?"

"Guilty." She murmured softly.

"What makes you feel guilty?" He pressed.

"That body armor my company made killed a man. He died because our armor was inferior."

"But you paid PPI to dispose of that armor because it didn't meet combat standards. It was out of your hands at that point."

"Yes, but how did it end up in the Frey then?" Her voice was burdened with sadness so I casually put my arm around her shoulders.

"Not by you, I take it?" He continued.

"No." She quickly shook her head. " Our contract is between us and the Army. We don't sell to anybody else."

"Then you're not responsible, Regina." He promised her.

We sat in silence, letting her absorb that concept. Finally she nodded and let out a breath. "I'm sorry I was hostile to you...before."

"It's okay." He said reassuringly. "I know you have a job you came here to do, and that being sequestered to Camp Azor has stopped your work."

"My priorities have changed, Doctor."

That surprised me.

"What do you mean by changed?" Archie seemed surprised, too.

"When I was sent here, I was under the assumption that I was here to represent my company in a generous act of outfitting soldiers in the newest armor. Turns out, the gift was so the company could have a tax write-off." She clenched her fists again. "It's possible that somehow there has been a mix-up and some of our soldiers are unwittingly relying on sub par armor to protect them in battle. My goal is to find all the PPI armor that has been distributed to the Army and replace it with armor that will keep them alive. I can't have soldier's blood on my hands if there is something I can do to stop it."

"That's a very noble goal." Doctor Hopper replied. "And you've done that already by replacing everyone's armor here at Camp Azor."

"But not every soldier in the Frey is stationed at Azor."

"That's true. But taking armor to them involves risk for you and for the team."

She looked at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Emma, are you willing to go back in the Frey with me so I can do this?"

I nodded and her tears began to fall. "We have your back, Regina." I turned to Archie. "Doc?"

He smiled at me. "Master Sergeant Swan your team is cleared for active duty effective tomorrow at 0800." He stood and shook Regina's hand. "Best of luck to you. I know this hasn't been easy for you."

"Thank you Doctor Hopper. You've helped me find my true purpose out here."

We walked in comfortable silence back towards her barracks. It was a surprise to feel her warm hand grasp mine, but I gently squeezed her hand and slowed the pace so we could linger a bit longer as we walked in the silver moonlight. Tomorrow, I decided, was a new day. But for tonight, I would just enjoy Regina's companionship and the comfort of her hand in mine.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N As always, a big thank you to my wonderful beta Elodealeaf. You've finally broken me of my semi-coon addiction :)

And thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my story. Your comments and thoughts really _**do**_ help me to keep writing. So without further adieu...

**...**

**Chapter Twenty-six**

"I see you've been cleared to resume your duties." Lieutenant Mulan noted the next morning as she read Doctor Hopper's handwritten note.

"Yes ma'am, effective 0800 hours." I nodded as she handed me a sealed envelope.

"Here is your new itinerary then. You leave tomorrow morning for a visit to three combat posts. I anticipate it will take you a week to ten days, depending on the road conditions and the activity in the Frey." She gave me a moment to open the envelope and read the contents. According to the map, we would head straight north, following the east side of the Riendahl mountain range. Our first visit was to Kelling, then Carile and lastly Isler Combat Outpost. Though it was all in an area of the Republic's stronghold, there would be risks, especially the further we travelled away from Camp Azor.

"So will guard coverage be as it is here in Camp, or as it was in Volpure?"

"What do you think will be best, Master Sergeant?" Mulan asked.

I thought about both scenarios; either a rotating guard with me taking night shift, or having me be Ms. Mills' constant companion 24/7. I'd like to say that it was with the best interest of all involved that I chose the latter, but the truth was, I took advantage of the opportunity to spend as much time as possible with Regina. "Like Volpure then."

"That's what I would have gone with, too." She nodded before turning more serious. "Things are heating up back in the Republic. The Intelligence Division has tied up some important loose ends regarding her company's business practices. The last piece of the puzzle is determining how much Regina Mills knew about the shipping and selling of the Mills Combat Vestments armor to Killian Jones."

I opened my mouth to protest her innocence, but the Lieutenant's raised hand stopped me.

"You and your team have done a good job so far of recording her when she discusses business, that's been a big help." She sighed. "I know she talks about her change of heart, and I do hope for your team's sake that she_ is_ being honest about her intentions. Since you will essentially be her bodyguard on this tour, these responsibilities fall primarily to you; both of keeping her and your team safe as well as uncovering as much intel as you can." She handed me what looked like a common ammunition box, a metal case painted olive green that held 200 rounds of .50mm ammo, something we didn't have the weapon for. But when I opened it up, it contained an electronic device that I didn't recognize..

"Ma'am?"

"This is a portable electronic storage device. It will be installed in your Humzee before you leave. It's programmed to record when any of your team activates the microphone on their BDU jacket. It has a range of one hundred yards, so it should be sufficient in capturing all transmissions at the outposts as well as any in the vehicle itself. Once you return to Camp Azor, the intel will be handed over and analyzed."

"Yes, ma'am." I felt torn, like I was being forced to betray Regina's tentative trust in our team, knowing we were talking to her with the intention of covertly gathering intel.

"Problem, Master Sergeant?" Her dark eyes focused on me like lasers.

I swallowed and shook my head. "No, ma'am." I knew if I had to chose between my country and a woman, my country needed to come first. "Anything else?"

We discussed more details of the upcoming mission before she added, "thank you for inviting me to the mock battle yesterday. It was fun to work with your team and others who are stationed here. Doctor Hopper taking a bullet for Ms. Mills seemed to have an impact on her. Let's just hope her resolve doesn't crumble when it comes to dealing with her Mother."

"It's good that we're leaving for the outposts then." I gave Mulan a tight smile. "At least it will be harder for her mother to manipulate her while we're gone."

"Agreed." The Lieutenant stood. "I'll see you and your team tomorrow at 0700 for your departure."

I left her office and headed down to room A1, Regina's makeshift office, to inform both her and Graham that we were leaving in the morning. I walked in, surprised to find Graham, Corporal Boyd and Private Phillips all digging through file boxes as Regina hit key after key on her laptop. "No, no, no." She growled. "Where is it?" She looked at a file that the Private had put in a neat stack beside the civilian.

I cleared my throat, causing her to snap her head up. "Something wrong, Ms. Mills?"

"Good, you can help too, Master Sergeant." I bristled at her tone but she didn't back down. "I don't have time for pleasantries, Miss Swan, so help or get the hell out of the way."

Sergeant Graham just shrugged at me and keep searching through the boxes.

"Alright." I conceded. "What are we looking for?"

"We're looking for proof that we traded the Mills armor to soldiers who had PPI armor issued to them." She looked at the next file folder before tossing it down.

"Why not just go get the vests you collected?" I thought that seemed logical.

Regina slammed her palms on the table. "Because my company had them shipped back as soon as I finished processing everything five days ago."

_Okay, she had probably thought of that alread_y. "So you're hoping to find someone's file that shows they were issued PPI armor?" I picked up a folder and studied the forms. It gave the soldier's name, their brigade, battalion and company information, tour dates and commanding officer. Other than that, the form just had a place where the serial number of the Mills armor was filled in and signatures from both the soldier and either Boyd or Phillips. "There's nowhere on these forms that ask that information."

Regina stopped typing and glared. "Master Sergeant Swan." The vein in her forehead was pounding in warning. "I know that. But this is the last chance we have to find any proof, so help or get out."

"Okay." I said softly, trying to diffuse her anger. I picked up the next file and thoroughly searched it for any relevant information. We spent another hour going through all the boxes, but our search was in vain.

Regina ran both of her hands through her hair and sighed. "There's nothing here. Pack it back up in alphabetical order." Her two assistants immediately followed her directions.

"Graham." I cocked my head towards the far corner and he followed me over.

"Master Sergeant? I hope I'm not in trouble for helping them out, I figured I could guard her while I did that." He apologized.

"No." I shook my head. "That's fine, I'm glad you helped out. I just need to let you know that we're being deployed tomorrow morning. Three combat outposts in seven days. " I gave him a photocopy of the itinerary. "I'm going to talk to Ms. Mills then go get some sleep."

"Aye, Master Sergeant." He said distractedly as he read the scheduled outline.

I carefully approached Regina, waiting until it seemed like a good moment to talk.

"Master Sergeant why are you hovering?" She growled. Okay, maybe there wasn't going to be a good time. I stepped closer to her and handed her the photocopy. "What's this?"

"Ma'am we're being deployed tomorrow for a week. We will visit three combat outposts before returning to Camp Azor. I just wanted to let you know." An idea occurred to me. "Maybe some of those soldiers will have PPI armor." I shrugged hopefully.

Her eyes lit up. "Excellent point." She turned to her assistants. "Okay, new plan. I need forms and full combat armor for..." She looked at me.

I calculated and gave her my best guess, "two-hundred and fifty soldiers."

"Two-hundred and fifty soldiers. I need them ready to go by 1600 hours today."

I couldn't help but grin.

"What?" She asked confused.

"You used military time." My smile widened.

"So I did." She deadpanned before turning her attention back on the two women, and then back on me. "How is the armor getting to the outposts?"

"Lieutenant Mulan says that a helicopter will drop one crate at Outpost Kelling tomorrow... The other two outposts will get the armor in two day."

"That will work, thank you. What time do we leave tomorrow?"

"0700. Same guard arrangement as we had in Volpure. I hope you don't mind." Not that she had a choice, actually, but I found myself nervous that she would reject the arrangement.

Her expression softened. "No, I don't mind in the least."

I gave her a shy smile as my thoughts went to places that weren't completely professional. Sticking my hands in my pockets, I shrugged again. "I've gotta go tell the others about the trip. See you tonight."

I found Blanchard and Nolan together in the fairly empty mess hall. The lunch rush was over, but there was still food available so I grabbed a tray and returned to the table with my sandwich and french fries. I filled them in on the details of the mission as well as the need to gather as much intel as possible. "Do they really think she might be guilty?" Mary Margaret's forehead furrowed.

"I don't know, it sounds like they are wrapping things up, but Regina's still a wild card." I looked in her soft brown eyes. "I hope she's innocent." I could feel my throat constrict.

"Hey." Nolan put his hand on my arm. "If she's innocent, then we'll prove it. She's part of our team now and we promised we'd have her back. That hasn't changed."

I smiled at him gratefully. "And if she's guilty?" My voice shook as I spoke and I dropped my head, unable to swallow.

"Then we keep her safe until she's back in the Republic. But Master Sergeant." He tipped my head up. "She might be a difficult person to get close to, but I think she's an innocent pawn in this game."

"As do I." Blanchard assured me.

"I hope so..." I felt the threat of tears but didn't want to seem weak to my team so I changed the subject. "Think Corporal Hood will make us some more muffins for our trip?"

Blanchard smiled and nodded past me. "She's right there, why don't you go ask her."

"Good idea." I smiled and turned to find Ruby. "Hey Rubes." I grinned when she turned, holding a small bouquet of flowers. "Are those for your mystery nurse?" I teased.

"Yup." She blushed. "She likes the Bluebells that grow in the forest, so I went and picked her some." She touched the cluster of flowers that hung together on one of the stems.

"That's so sweet." I was happy she had found someone she really cared for. "What's her name?"

She confirmed my suspicions with a single word. "Belle."

'I've met her, she's very sweet. And very pretty." I watched Ruby's blush deepen.

"Well, I've never been in love before." She admitted. "But this feels real, you know?"

I dreaded breaking the news to Sergeant Gold that his girl's heart belonged to another, but pushed that aside as I hugged Ruby. "Then you should go for it, Rubes. You deserve to be happy."

She hugged me back, careful to not squish the bouquet. "I'm on break so I'm gonna go, um, give her these." She nodded at the flowers.

"Okay." I smiled as I pulled back from the hug. "Any chance we can get some goodies tomorrow morning? We're heading out into the Frey for a week."

"Of course." She grinned. "I'll tell Captain Lucas you're leaving, she'll be glad to fix you up."

"Thanks Ruby, you're the best. Now go get your girl."

I headed off to my barracks to get some much needed sleep. Tonight I was back on guard duty, and once we left in the morning, I would be Regina's guard for the next seven to ten days. Fortunately, sleep came easily and my dreams were most pleasant.

_"Are you sure we won't get caught?" Regina glanced around in the darkness._

_"Don't worry, everyone's asleep. I double checked." I tugged on her warm hand and pulled her closer to me. "Besides, we'll be quiet." I laughed softly._

_She leaned in and kissed me. It was a demanding kiss that insisted that we hurry and find a private place. I loved her kisses. The softness of her full lips, her perfect teeth as they nibbled on my ear and her tongue as it left a wet trail down my neck, ending in another bite mark that I'd have to hide. _

_"Come on." I kissed her back before pulling away and leading her down a small trail into the woods. We were just out of sight of the barracks when she pressed me against a tree, the rough bark sharp against my back. She pulled me forward and lifted my shirt. I put my hands over my head to let her pull it off, leaving just my bra as a barrier. Regina wrapped her arms around me, kissing me hard while her hands made quick work of unhooking my bra and letting it fall to the forest floor. _

_"So perfect." She murmured before she latched onto one of my nipples with her mouth and sucked it until it was rigid. Her hand drifted to my other breast, where she caressed the skin before pinching my small nub. It was a combination of pleasure and pain that I always associated with my lover._

_"Regina." I moaned as she rose again and removed her own blouse and bra, her pert breasts shimmering in the moonlight. _

_"Taste me." She ordered and I willingly complied. I kissed and licked a wet trail down her throat, feeling her pulse race as I nibbled on her soft skin. My hands covered her breasts, relishing the softness of the skin in contrast with her hardened nipples. I felt the hot wetness in my core as I pulled one dark nipple into my mouth and suckled it. I could feel her body shiver at the contact._

_"I need more." She moaned as she pushed my hand down to the button on her pants and I quickly unsnapped it, letting the zipper pull apart as I pulled down on the belt hooks. She stood before me in just her red lace thong, her dark eyes dilated as she pressed her body against me. "Fuck me, Emma." I reached between her legs and pushed the thong aside, finding her wet for me. "Please." _

"Emma, please." I felt my body shake. "Master Sergeant, wake up."

I came to in a confused blur. "What?" I tried to catch my breath as I realized that I was in my barracks. Instead of Regina, I saw Sergeant Blanchard. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, it's just time for your guard shift." She innocently replied.

I laid back down on my bed. _ Shit._ "Alright, I'm awake. I wasn't surprised to feel the arousal pulsing between my legs. I kicked my legs over the side of my bunk and sat back up. There was no sense in taking my frustrations out on her. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Can you guard us at 0600 at the shower house? I didn't get time to shower today and I'd really like to before we leave." I grabbed my helmet and gun before heading to Regina's barracks.

"Of course." She nodded. "I'll set my alarm and see you there."

"I have the guard." I told Nolan as I approached the tent.

"You have the guard Master Sergeant. Everything's quiet tonight."

"Thank you Staff Sergeant. Get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow at 0700." I took up my post and watched him leave.

"Is that you, Master Sergeant?" I heard Regina ask as I felt a throb in my center. Damn, even the sound of her voice was doing me in tonight.

"Good evening, ma'am, yes it is."

"I wasn't sure if you got a chance to eat earlier, so I brought you a muffin and a banana. You can join me or I can bring it outside." She offered.

"I'd appreciate if you brought it outside." I didn't dare allow myself to enter her tent.

"Of course." I heard the door open. "I hope you slept well. No bad dreams?"

I couldn't even bring myself to look at her as I blushed. "No ma'am, definitely no bad dreams." I had to change the subject before I imploded. "Ms. Mills, what if we don't find any PPI armor at the combat outposts?" Out of duty, I pressed the button on my sleeve to activate the microphone.

She was quiet for a moment. "I'm not sure what I'll do."

"Is there anyone at your company that you can trust? Someone who can find the information for you on their end?" I needed her to keep trying, to prove she wasn't involved.

Another pause before she answered. "I was hoping to not have to involve him."

"Your father?" I could see why she wanted to keep him out of the line of fire.

"No, my father honestly knows nothing about running the business. I meant my personal assistant, Michael."

"Would he help you?" I felt a glimmer of hope.

She sighed. "He would. I should call him, shouldn't I?" She sounded resigned.

"I would if I were you. Maybe he can help clear this mess up."

"I'll consider it. He won't be at work for two more hours." We stood silently for a few moments before she added. "Will you wake me if I'm not up in a couple hours?"

I set my alarm, hearing the small beep from my watch. "Yes, ma'am. Try to get some sleep though." I turned the microphone off.

She must not have slept though, because I heard her get up a few minutes before my alarm went off. I tried to be quiet, in part to not interrupt her, but also to try to record the conversation even though I knew the Intel division would be listening in, too.

_"Michael, why are you answering Sydney Glass' phone?...This is Regina, of course...Yes, I'm fine...what are you talking about?...Fine, answer your computer."_

A moment later, I was surprised to hear a man's voice, until I figured out she video called him. I quickly turned the microphone back on.

_"My God, it really is you, Regina. I've been so worried about you."_

_"Michael, why are you working for Sydney?"_

_"He was made the new COO three days after you left. Your mother circulated a memo that you had taken another position somewhere. Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"What? No. Why didn't you call me." I could hear the confusion and hurt in her voice._

_"I wanted to, I swear. But we were told that under no condition were we allowed to contact you." I could hear the confusion in his voice, too. "Where are you?" _

_"Michael, I need your help." Her tone changed to all business._

_"Absolutely, what can I do?" _

_"I need you to find any files related to a company called PPI. It stands for Protective Products International. Copy them, encrypt them and send them to me."_

_"I'll do what I can, but security has been beefed up on the servers. We apparently got hacked a couple weeks back, right when you left. Everyone thinks you had your new company do it. Crap, I've got to go, Mr. Glass is here. Stay safe, Regina."_

There was a heavy silence in the air after the call ended.

"You okay Regina?" I finally asked.

There was no answer, so I tried again. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Just let me sleep, Master Sergeant, and keep me safe."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll always keep you safe." I promised as I returned to my post.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Thanks, as always to my awesome beta, eldoealeaf.

Thanks for taking the time to read my story. And a**_ huge_**thank you to everyone who takes the time to post a comment or send me a PM.

**Chapter Twenty-seven**

At 2330 I noticed a sliver of light underneath the door of Regina's barracks. I waited a few moments, assuming she was just up to use the bathroom. But the light remained on for twenty minutes so I gently rapped on the doorframe. "Ms. Mills?" There was no response, though I could hear her shuffling around inside the barrack. "I'm coming in." I gave her fair warning.

She was curled up in a small ball on her bed, staring listlessly at the corner of her tent. A memory of the first time we met replayed in my mind. She was, I remembered, a hellcat in high heels; arrogant, controlled, powerful, a sharp contrast to the broken woman who lay before me. "Hey." I said softly as I sat cross-legged at the foot of her bed.

She sniffed. "Hey."

I reached out and touched her calf, letting my hand rest on her leg. "Do you want to talk?"

She shook her head _no._

"Do you want to be left alone?"

Again, she wordlessly shook her head.

"Okay, we how about I just sit here with you then?" I offered.

A few seconds passed before she finally nodded.

I softly rubbed small circles on her calf, something my son, Henry, liked for me to do when he was sick. It took her awhile, but she looked over at me, so I gave her an encouraging smile. She rolled over onto her side and stretched one leg over mine. I let my hand drift up to her thigh before stilling it. She gave a heavy sigh and rubbed her eyes.

"Why are we even going to the combat outposts?" She asked in a small pained voice. "Apparently I don't even work for Mills Vestments anymore."

"Then don't do it for them. Do it for the soldiers."

"Do you think we can postpone the trip by a day? I need some time to wrap my head around all this." Her voice was heavy.

"Let me see what I can do." I clicked on the radio and paged Sergeant Blanchard. Her sleepy voice answered back.

"Sergeant report to Ms. Mills' barracks. Bring my shower bag with you, it's on my bunk."

"On my way," she quickly replied.

"I better um..." I gestured at our position. She withdrew her leg and I stood up, immediately missing the warmth on my thighs. She stood, too, as we waited for the Sergeant to arrive.

I heard the footsteps as Blanchard ran up to the doorway. She knocked and I told her to come inside. "Is everything okay?" She blinked her eyes to adjust to the light.

"Yes, but Ms. MIlls would like to postpone the trip by a day, so I need to talk to Lieutenant Mulan. I need you to take the guard."

"I have the guard." She nodded, handing me my bag. "I'll just be outside."

"Thank you." Regina reached out and touched my shoulder. That simple gesture sent a chill through my body.

I dropped my head so she couldn't see me blush. "I'll be back as soon as possible." I stepped back and set my bag near the desk.

As soon as I was out of Regina's hearing range, I called the Lieutenant on the radio. It took her a few seconds to respond, and when she did, her voice was thick with sleep. "Lieutenant Mulan speaking."

"Lieutenant, I'm sorry to wake you. This is Master Sergeant Swan. Is there someplace we can meet?"

Again, I was met with silence before I heard the static and then her voice. "Yes, I'll meet you at the rec center in five minutes."

I got to the rec hall first, finding it deserted save for Chuck the DJ wrapping up speaker wires and microphones. The sign in the corner said Karaoke Night with Two-Buck Chuck. He nodded at me when I walked in and I waved to him before finding a table against the wall. He sauntered over to my table and turned one of the metal chairs around before sitting in it backwards. "You missed a good night of Karaoke, Master Sergeant."

I laughed. "I dance, Chuck, but I don't sing. Not even in the shower."

"You and that civilian got pretty cozy last dance. Man, you guys could move." He praised. "You coming next week to the dance? It's gonna be a sock hop. You know, a little twist, some bebop, maybe a couple jive songs." He mimicked the dances with his upper body.

I smiled at his antics and shook my head. "Probably not. My team's going on a mission."

"Aw, that's too bad. I wouldn't have mind seeing that pretty lady in a hoop skirt. You know what I mean." He winked at me and grinned. "Or better yet, out of one." I gritted my teeth as he belly laughed at his comments.

"Excuse me, Mr. Buck." The Lieutenant narrowed her eyes as she looked at the DJ.

"Oh, hey sorry 'bout that Lieutenant. Me and the Master Sergeant here were just shootin' the shit." He stood up and turned the chair around before giving Mulan a sweeping bow. "M'lady." He gestured to the chair.

She nodded curtly and took a seat, allowing him to push her in towards the table. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. I'll just go finish up so I can head out." He gave me a mock salute. "Nice talking to you Swan."

I gave him a tight smile and nodded. "See you around Chuck." The Lieutenant and I waited until he was back across the rec hall before we spoke.

"Master Sergeant, this had better be important." She said needlessly, like I was going to ask her to meet with me so I could ask what her favorite color was.

"Yes, ma'am. Ms. Mills contacted her office tonight and found out she has been replaced as COO."

Mulan's brow furrowed. "So, she is out of Mills Combat Vestments?"

"Yeah, she's taking it pretty hard. She asked if we could push the trip back a day or two."

"Why even take the trip if she isn't working for them anymore?"

"She's not doing it for the company. She's doing it for the soldiers." I explained.

"Fine, I'll authorize a forty-eight hour delay. In the meantime though, you need to push her to talk about the business. Maybe she'll be more forthcoming about their business operations."

"Of course. I'll see what I can do." I promised, though there was an ache in my gut at the thought of pumping Regina for information.

"In lieu of our daily meeting, I want to meet with your whole team, as well as Ms. Mills tomorrow at 1000." She stood and pushed her chair in, its metal leg scrapping on the concrete floor. "Good night Master Sergeant."

I stood and bade her good night. The wind had picked up by the time I walked back to Regina's barracks. I pulled my jacket tighter around my body and walked faster.

"Thanks." I greeted Blanchard outside of Ms. Mills' tent. "The trip is delayed forty-eight hours. Will you let the guys know? And the Lieutenant wants to meet with the whole team tomorrow at 1000. I have the guard."

"Sure, you want me to wait till morning or radio them now?"

"Your call. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Okay. You have the guard. I think Ms. Mills is back asleep. Good night, Master Sergeant." My radio remained silent, telling me she would give the others the news in the morning.

I shivered as I stood at my post, watching the clouds quickly cover most of the sky, hiding the stars and the light from the moon. Soon fat drops of rain fell on my helmet and I cursed myself for not wearing a waterproof jacket. The flash of lightning cracked the sky, it's jagged tendrils shooting across the darkness. I counted four seconds before the sound of the thunder rolled across the camp.

I scooted closer to the wall, hoping to deflect some of the wind that was chilling me to the bone. It helped with the wind, but didn't block any of the rain that now steadily beat down. Again the lightning followed quickly by thunder, signalling that the storm was moving closer. The rain turned into a downpour, soaking through my BDUs even though they were water resistant. A sharp crack of lightning lit up the sky, causing me to startle at the noise.

"Emma?" Regina called from inside.

"Yes, ma'am." My teeth chattered as I stood at my post. The sides of the road had small rivers of water cutting into the dirt and the sides of the roof on Regina's barracks had waterfalls of rain coming off of them.

"What the hell are you doing out in the storm?" Her voice was filled with irritation.

"My job, ma'am." I yelled over the storm.

"Get in here where it's dry." She demanded just as another jagged ray of lightning filled the sky.

For a second I debated staying outside, before deciding there was little threat to Regina in this storm. I quickly opened the door and stepped inside, dripping on the wooden floor. My hands were shaking as pulled of my helmet and worked to unsnap my jacket.

"Here, let me help you." She came closer to me and put her hands on mine. "You're freezing." She unsnapped my jacket and pulled it off.

"I d-d-d-dn't think it was going to rain." I stammered as she peeled my shirt from my shivering body. "My bag." I pointed to the desk. "Dry clothes." The cool air left goosebumps over my entire body. Regina quickly opened my bag and pulled out my towel.

"Strip." She said as she handed me my towel. She turned her back to me and laid my clean, dry clothes out on her bed. I unsnapped my leg holster and took it off, carefully setting it and my boot knife aside before I shed the rest of my clothing. I dried myself off with the towel before wrapping it around my body.

Out of the corner of her eye, I could see that Regina noticed I was decent again. She had grabbed a plastic bag and quickly put all of my wet uniform into it while I dressed again in dry clothes. "Thanks." I managed to get out between shivers.

"Emma." Her eyes were soft. "Come here." Regina beckoned and I padded to her. Her warm hand touched my ruddy cheek before she quickly drew it back. "You need to warm up."

She pulled back the blankets on her bed. "Lay down, the bed is warm."

I couldn't argue with her logic, so I did as I was told. The storm continued to rage outside and I was grateful to be out of it and in dry clothing. I should have called another of my team to come stand guard since I essentially was incapacitated. But I weighed the odds of someone attempting to harm Regina in this weather and determined the risk to be extremely low. "So much for protect and escort." I muttered.

"Move over." She ordered.

My eyes grew wide as I realized she was wearing just a t-shirt and sweats.

"Body heat is the fastest way to warm you up, Master Sergeant."

Again, I couldn't argue with her logic. I'm sure I felt like a giant human ice cube to her as she wrapped her body around mine beneath the blankets; but she never complained, she just faced me and held me tightly as I began to thaw. I felt her feet press against my wool socks as our legs intertwined.

"Give me your hands." She said softly. I looked into her dark eyes as she trapped them between our chests. My shivering had stopped for the most part, but occasionally my entire body would give an involuntary jerk.

This wasn't about desire, or sex or flirting; this was about survival. "Where did you learn this?" I asked as I finally felt some warmth in my muscles.

"Would you believe it if I told you I was a Girl Scout?" She smirked.

"No." I gave a short laugh at the thought.

"Okay, you're right." Her hand reached out and cupped my cheek to warm it. "In college I took an elective course in wilderness survival."

I scrunched my nose. "Seriously?"

She chuckled. "Yes, but the real reason is that there was this cute girl that I liked and she was in it."

"Well, for my sake, I'm glad you took the course. What happened to the girl?"

"She never even noticed me."

"How could she not?" My forehead furrowed. "How could anybody not notice you?"

"Thank you." She acknowledged the compliment. "Now turn over."

I wiggled and managed to turn away from her before I felt her pressed against my back. Her arm slung over my hip, pulling me closer to her. Our bodies fit well together and I felt my eyes grow heavy, sleep beckoning to me as we snuggled in our warm cocoon. I shook my head to wake myself up. "I can't sleep, I'm on duty."

Regina growled in protest. "But I'm so comfortable."

"Trust me, I understand completely." I sighed, resigned to the fact that I had to leave the warmth of the blankets and her body. I turned back over to face her and touched her hair with my fingertips. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." She leaned forward and gave me a chaste kiss. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"Me too." I confessed as I rolled out of the bunk and tucked the blankets back around her. "But I'll be just right here by the door."

The rain continued its steady patter on the roof though the thunder and lightning had moved on. I strapped my holster around my leg and found my waterproof boots that she had set neatly on a towel in the small bathroom. I felt the insides, they were dry, so I pulled them on my feet, relieved that they were fairly warm. Slipping my knife back in the sheath, I quietly padded back to the doorway and stood guard. Soon Regina's breathing became even and measured as she fell back asleep. I quietly turned off all but the small desk light, hoping that she would sleep well and sleep warm.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N- Thanks, as usual, to my wonder beta Elodealeaf.

I am overwhelmed with the great comments you guys are making about this story. It's turned out to be much longer than I originally planned; truth is we're about halfway through it now. So stick with me and let me know what you think!

**Chapter Twenty-eight**

_Sergeant Paul Gold was in a good mood as he headed to work in the morning. As he walked from the Intelligence Division parking lot at Fort Brookes, he realized he had a few spare minutes before he had to clock in. The small park adjacent to the parking lot was busy with joggers and people, both in uniform and civies, out walking. He sat on a park bench , enjoying the warmth from the morning sun, when he heard a woman's voice. "Zoe, No! You're not supposed to chase the squirrels."_

_He couldn't help but smile as the small black and white dog and its owner crossed his path. "What an adorable dog. May I?" Rum asked before he reached down and scratched the dog behind its ears. " Love the sweater." He touched the canine's argyle sweater, causing the dog's short tail to wag in the air._

_The woman, dressed in civilian clothes, gushed. "Thank you so much!" She addressed the dog. "Do you hear that, Zoe? You are the most beautiful dog around." She grinned at Sergeant Gold. "I have to tell her that because she's getting groomed tomorrow and she gets embarrassed at having short hair." _

_Rum ran his fingers over his short hair and smirked. "Can't blame ya, girl, I like my hair a bit longer, too." He scratched her one more time, carefully attaching the microchip to its collar, before he sat back and nodded cordially at the owner. "I hope you two have a pleasant day, it looks like the weather's finally warming up a bit."_

_"You too, Sergeant." She beamed before pulling gently on the dog's leash. He watched her walk away before he turned his attention to three black squirrels chasing each other up and down an oak tree. He checked his watch and stood to leave; by the time he made the short walk to the Intelligence Building, his mind was made up._

_He worked most of the morning gathering the information he needed to ensure that he would be able to make the deal, and to make it work in his favor. He waited patiently until the afternoon, when the opportunity finally presented itself. He flipped open a random folder and pretended to study it._

_"This doesn't make sense." Sergeant Gold muttered as he read. He slowly stroked his chin as he reread the information. Giving up he sighed and closed the folder. _

_"Everything alright, Sergeant?" The woman's voice caught his attention. He turned to see the dark skinned woman sitting two stations over. He looked around the otherwise empty room before answering her. "Have you ran across erroneous information, Chief Mendall?" He noted the Warrant Officer insignia on her dress green blouse. _

_"What do you mean, Sergeant?" She tilted her head towards him._

_He gave a tight lipped smile. "It's just this case I've been assigned to. It's almost like the Army is purposely investigating the wrong person." He shook his head. "I'm new to the Intelligence Division, so I don't really know the protocol here." Rum shrugged his shoulders._

_"Have you talked to your commanding officer about this?" She suggested._

_Sergeant Gold leaned forward. "I'm quite sure my CO wouldn't believe me, so there's no sense in talking to him. But if they don't start focusing on the right person, then an innocent woman is going to be a scapegoat."_

_"Sometimes I find it's helpful to have a fresh set of eyes look at something. Maybe I can help you out. My latest case is closed, I'm just tying up some loose ends."_

_"I don't know." He hesitated. "I'm sure I'm probably not supposed to even mention this, let alone talk about it to someone who isn't officially on the case."_

_"Sergeant Gold, in this division we all help each other out on cases sometimes. When its your own case, you can get bogged down in the details and can't see the big picture. Tell you what, come over to my place tonight for dinner and we can discuss the case." Her smile grew. _

_"I appreciate the offer." He nodded. "What time should I arrive?"_

_"1800 hours works." She wrote down her address and passed it to him. "And bring a bottle of wine that pairs with lamb."_

_He tucked the paper into the pocket of his dress uniform shirt. "I'll be there."_

_Gold found her house located in one of the newer "housing villages" on base. He arrived five minutes early with a bottle of Côtes du Rhône, that he had traded for two months ago, neatly tucked under his arm. _

_"Good evening Sergeant Gold." The woman opened the door to her small house. He offered her the bottle, which she inspected. "Very nice choice; come in and I'll open it so it can breathe." _

_He closed the door behind him and hung his cane and scarf on the wall hooks before he followed her trail to the kitchen. "Smells delicious." He grinned._

_"Thank you, it's an old family recipe. I'm just glad I have someone to share it with tonight." The Chief sat at the table and gestured to the empty chair. "It just needs a bit more time to simmer, so I thought we could talk shop before we eat." He stiffly sat down across from her and nodded._

_"So..." she began, "tell me about this case you're working on."_

_"Its a complicated one, Chief." He began._

_"They all are." She grinned. "And please, call me Tamara."_

_"Very well, Tamara." Her name rolled off his tongue. "But only if you call me Rum or Paul."_

_"Alright, Paul. And please, I didn't mean to interrupt you."_

_"No, it's fine." He smiled as he accepted a glass of the wine. "Essentially I've been working on uncovering illegal or nefarious deeds by one of the Army's armor sub-contractors. I did much of the initial legwork as a favor to my former CO, who's been sent to Camp Azor on a P&E mission to guard the COO of the company."_

_"Wait, so how did you get involved in the first place?" Her forehead furrowed._

_"When my Master Sergeant was given the mission details, she asked me to look into the company for her. She saved my life in the Frey and I owed her a debt." He took a sip of the wine. "And, I always pay my debts."_

_"An admirable quality." She ran her finger around the rim of her wine glass. "So, what did you find out about the company? Was anything afoot?"_

_"Yes, but unfortunately the information I ran across was fairly vague. Of course I didn't have the resources I do now that I've been reassigned to the Intelligence Division."_

_She chuckled. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I'm amazed at what we can find out in just a few minutes." Tamara looked at him. "You said something wasn't adding up though? What's going on?" She stood to check on the lamb._

_"Essentially it's me and three other soldiers, as well as a small team that is at Camp Azor that are doing all the investigating. The problem is, every bit of evidence I turn in about Regina Mills, that's the COO of their company, has vanished. Not one single report shows any of my findings, while the rest of the team seems set on railroading her mother, Cora, who's the CEO of the company."_

_Tamara set half of the lamb dish on Rum's plate and the other on hers before covering the meat with the sauce. "Okay, so you think they're both involved, but your comrades think only this Cora woman is guilty?" She placed a scoop of white rice on each plate and brought them to the table._

_"Let's just say I have proof that Regina has been tucking some of the company's money away in a personal account. Just a week ago, she made an unusual trip to Volpure, citing a shipping mix up that put her company's armor in the hands of a known enemy of the state. Then, on top of having dealings with Killian Jones, she claims he blackmailed her for three million dollars to have the vests returned to MCV. In reality, he was laundering money for her so she could hide it away in Volpure; thank God her mother refused to pay the ransom. I bet she wouldn't be happy to find out her daughter is embezzling from her, let alone trying to frame her for it.."_

_He watched the Chief as he told his story; she tried to act casual as she ate her supper, but he could tell her interest was piqued. "And you told your CO this?"_

_"I tried, but he's really not interested in the truth. The focus has been on proving Cora Mills guilty of treason, punishable by death. If that happens, well then isn't it convenient that Regina would become CEO. And the company that her mother worked so hard to build would..." He waved his hand in emphasis. "Magically disappear." He took a bite of the lamb. "You really are a very good cook."_

_She smiled. "Thank you, and I'm glad you talked to me about this. Maybe I can help move things along for you if you'd like me to try. I've been stationed here for over five years, I've gotten to know a few of the higher ranked officers on base."_

_"Do you have a copy of your files with you? I'd need to be able to share the evidence you uncovered." She topped off both of their wine glasses._

_"I made a copy on this." He pulled a USB drive out of his pocket. "It has everything we talked about and more on it." He hesitated before pressing it in her outstretched hand._

_"Give me till tomorrow morning to see what I can do." She promised. The rest of the hour was spent talking about mundane things unrelated to work. He waited for a lull in the conversation before excusing himself._

_"Chief...Tamara." He corrected himself. "Thank you for the lovely dinner. I appreciate your insights on this case." He stood from the table. "I best be going, early morning tomorrow and all."_

_She walked him to the door and watched as he grabbed his cane and wrapped the scarf around his neck. "Thank you for the wine and for the company." She gave him a wide smile. "Drive safely." _

_As soon as he pulled his car away from the curb Tamara focused on the small USB drive in her hand. She walked briskly to her computer and inserted it, waiting for the drive to open the files. She used a program to access a backdoor into the Intelligence Division's mainframe. Accessing the case file, she cross referenced each of his report dates with the list. Every date checked out, so she worked quickly to cover her tracks and ended the program. _

_She dialed the number from memory. "The potential informant I told you about is good," She said to the person on the other end of the phone call. "His information checks out."_

_"Does he know you're involved?" The voice asked._

_"No, he thinks I was just being a helpful colleague." She smirked at how well she played her part. "I even served him lamb."_

_"Chops or sacrificial?" _

_She chortled at the joke. "Chops; but play your cards right and he'll deliver Regina as the sacrifice."_

_"Indeed. Our affiliate will contact him. Have your comrade tell him the password." _

_" Will do. I'll tell him tomorrow and direct him to the Brew Pub for happy hour." She copied the information on the usb drive to her computer and encrypted the folder. _

_"Good work, Tamara." The phone line went dead._

_Rum left another voice mail message on Emma's phone. "Master Sergeant, it's imperative that we talk. You're protecting the wrong person. I know you're busy, but please call me." He hung up the cell phone and let it drop on the table._

_The next morning at work, both Rum and Tamara were busy with their respective responsibilities. Every time she glanced his way there was another soldier talking to him. Finally, just before lunch time, she found the break she needed. "Paul, I talked to my friend, he can help you. Be at the Brew Pub for happy hour. Sit in the far corner, booth six; the number's on the table. Order a B-53 and wait. You'll be approached by an MP, offer to buy him a B-53, too. He'll say he prefers B-57's; so buy him one and he'll take it from there."_

_He scratched the back of his neck. "Seems rather cloak and daggerish to me." _

_"I know, but it has to be. This information can't fall into the wrong hands." She said firmly._

_"Agreed." He nodded. "Alright, I'll be there." His phone rang and he looked at the caller id. MS Swan scrolled on the readout. He answered it immediately, turning away from the Chief. "Swan, thank God you called me, I've been desperate to get a hold of you."_

_"What's going on?" _

_" You've got it all wrong. She's guilty but they won't believe me, you have to help me prove it." He pleaded._

_"What can I do from here?"_

_"See if you can get her to talk, but just make sure you watch your back."_

_"I always do, Rum."_

_" I've gotta go. Stay safe." He hung up the phone before she could reply._

_Tamara had already returned to her station. To anyone watching, it would seem she was reviewing her case file. She smirked; tracing the Sergeant's call had been easy, and once she verified it was Emma Swan's phone he called, she taped the short conversation and blue-toothed the file to her tablet. She mentally patted herself on the back, if the boss didn't appreciate her before, surely they would now. She would give them the alibi they needed to avoid being convicted, as well as deliver Regina Mills' head to them on a silver platter. Well, she and Gold would, but the boss would know that Tamara played an important role in the coup._

_Gold waited in booth six, his B-53 sat untouched on the wooden table. He looked around at the various groups of soldiers, hoping to pick out who his contact was. He didn't have to wait long before he was approached by an MP with the name Booth velcroed on his BDU jacket. "A B-53, I haven't had one of those in a long time." _

_"If you like, I'd be happy to buy you one." Gold offered._

_"Thanks, but I prefer B-57's; they go down smoother."_

_Rum raised his hand to get the server's attention. "Then let me buy you a B-57." He stated before downing the drink in his shot-glass When the server arrived he gave her a tight smile. "A B-53 for me and a B-57 for my friend. Make them doubles, please."_

_MP Booth sat across from the Sergeant. "I was hoping you'd have time to meet the boss tonight." _

_"I recognize you Chief Master Sergeant Booth." Rum stated. "You were one of the MP's who brought me to Major Vic Morrow."_

_The server brought them their drinks and Booth ordered another round. They sat silently in the noisy bar until the server had walked away._

_The MP laughed. "You're a smart man Sergeant, no wonder they stuck you in Intelligence."_

_"I'm also smart enough to know when I'm being played. So, whatever game you're playing, I'm not interested." He sat back and downed his drink._

_Booth downed his drink and put his palms on the table. "No games, I promise. Just come talk to the boss tonight and if you want out then no problem. You can just go back to your job and watch them convict the wrong person. How many soldiers' deaths will be on you because you let faulty armor stay in the Frey?" _

_"Fine. Take me to the boss, but I drive my own car." _

_"You won't need to actually, just follow me to the back of the storage area." Booth tossed thirty dollars on the table and stood to leave. Gold grabbed his cane and followed closely behind the MP._

_They walked into the storage area filled with various boxes full of liquor, bar snacks and paper umbrellas they used in froufrou drinks. Booth exited the back door, waiting for Gold to follow him, before he headed down the metal staircase that lead to the basement. He punched a code into the numeric pad to unlock the door. "This way." He nodded as they entered the small basement. They walked down the short hallway to the lone door. "I'll wait out here and stand guard." He said as he knocked on the solid door, before opening it._

_Rum stepped through into a well lit room. "Sergeant Gold, come in; sit down." The officer ordered._

_"Lieutenant Baelfire." Gold nodded as he sat on the folding chair. "I was expecting to speak with someone of, shall we say, a more influential rank._

_The Lieutenant smirked. "Well, it's my job to vet you first. Sergeant Gold why are you here?"_

_Gold feigned innocence. "To share my information so the Army doesn't convict the wrong person."_

_"Nice try, but a lie." The Lieutenant leaned forward on his desk. "So tell, why you are really here?"_

_Gold narrowed his eyes as he watched the younger man. "Let's just say that I have additional information that a certain high ranking officer might find incriminating if the information were to come out."_

_Baelfire nodded. "Now you're being honest. And what kind of information are you alluding to?"_

_"The kind that ties him with a company that's been naughty. PPI should have covered their tracks better."_

_The Lieutenant nibbled on his bottom lip. "Give me a second." He stood and went to the door. He opened it and addressed the MP. "Get the boss." _

_Moments later the door reopened and the older man walked in. Baelfire filled him in on what Gold had insinuated._

_The ranking officer's eyes narrowed. "Thank you Lieutenant, you are dismissed."_

_"Yes sir." Baelfire nodded, glancing at Gold before he walked out of the room. Rum took a deep breath and addressed the officer. "General King, what a pleasure to finally meet you."_

_The General sat at the desk and looked over the papers the Lieutenant had copied for him. "Baelfire tells me you have uncovered something rather delicate."_

_"Only if you consider the fact that you make a hefty profit from Protective Products International a delicate subject. You see, it wasn't difficult for me to connect the dots between your wife and your old war buddy's wife. I found the names C. Wright and J. Bane listed as sole owners of PPI. A little digging and I figured out that Wright is Cora Mills maiden name, and it shouldn't be news to you that your wife Janice's maiden name is Bane." He could tell he had hit a nerve._

_"If that's all the proof you have, you're wasting my time." _

_"General, if that's all the proof I had, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you. Names, social security numbers, bank account information; I've got it all." He sneered. "I suppose it was no surprise then that Mills Combat Vestments got the contract to provide armor to the Republic Army, after all, you were on the panel who decided the winner." He leaned forward. "Must be a tidy little sum you're making, what with Mills actually paying PPI to dispose of, or resell, the armor that's not up to standards."_

_"Enough." The General growled. "What do you want?"_

_"If you knew me at all, you would know the answer. I want to make deal." Gold offered. "I bury this information and divert all other attention away from Cora Mills and PPI. I have the proof that Regina is the one really responsible for the illicit activity on behalf of MCV. In exchange, I get a cut of the company's profits. Ten percent, shall we say?" He giggled._

_The General's lip twitched. "Three percent, not a dime more."_

_Gold shrugged. "Deal."_


	29. Chapter 29

A/N- I'm so sorry it took me awhile to post this chapter. Updates will be more regular again now that life has settled back into a routine :D

Thanks, as always to my lovely beta _elodealeaf. _And thank you so much to everyone who reads my story and especially to those of you who drop a comment to me.

**Chapter Twenty-nine**

Once dawn came, I went outside of Regina's tent and watched the sun rise. The storm clouds had blown over, leaving a clear blue sky overhead. Early morning maintenance crews began the task of checking the roads and trails, scooping shovelfuls of gravel in the potholes and double checking that the sandbags were still secure. I checked my watch for the hundredth time as I watched them and waited for 0700 to come around.

Since our trip to the combat outposts had been postponed for forty-eight hours, we were still in our Camp Azor schedule and routine. Last night, as I stood guard, I came up with a rough draft for activities over the next two days. My team had been working hard since we arrived in the Frey, so I decided a day off was in order. Once our 1000 meeting with Lieutenant Mulan was finished, I planned to take over the guard duty until 1800 hours. That would allow my team to take most of the day for themselves. Staff Sergeant Nolan arrived at 0700 to take over the guard post. I filled him in on the plan and went to get a couple hours of much needed shut-eye. As I walked towards my barracks, my radio crackled. "_Master Sergeant Emma Swan report to HQ_." I recognized Lieutenant Mulan's voice.

"On my way." I radioed back as I turned around and headed to the building.

"Hey." I peered into her office.

She stood and came around to the front of her desk. "Please, come in and close the door behind you."

I did as she said. "I thought we had a ten o'clock meeting?"

"It's been cancelled." She gestured for me to sit. "The forty-eight hour delay has been shortened. General Marco has ordered you to leave at 1200 today."

I wanted to protest, but an order's an order, especially when it comes from a General. "Yes, Ma'am. Can I ask why the change though?"

She nodded sharply. "It will be considerably safer for Ms. Mills if she is under the radar for a few days. This is the quickest way to make that happen."

_Oh_. "My team will be ready."

"One more thing: Corporal Ruby Hood and Lieutenant Belle French will be accompanying you on this trip. The General decided that since you are doing a tour of three Outposts, it made sense to send along representatives from Health Services and the Culinary Division to check in on their respective divisions at each Outpost."

"I can understand sending an officer, but why Corporal Hood?"

"She volunteered and Captain Lucas approved it." She handed me their travel orders. "You will take a different vehicle that will accommodate the seven of you. Although Lieutenant Belle outranks you, this is still your operation. She's just along for the ride as far as P&E is concerned."

"Yes, Ma'am." I took the set of keys she offered me.

"Then you're dismissed. I'll meet you at 1200 at the Carpool." She stood and lead me to the door. "Get some sleep if you can Master Sergeant, it's going to be a busy trip."

I checked my watch as I left the building. _0730_. I clicked on my radio and called out to my team. "Company D, 23rd Battalion of the 12th Brigade report in."

Immediately all three members of my team responded.

"We have new orders for departure. We're a go for 1200 today."

"_Copy that._" Three voices chimed in.

"I'll come break the news to Ms. Mills." I really didn't want to, but I figured it would be best coming from me.

"The general did what?!" Regina shouted at me when I informed her of the base commander's order. "He can't force us to go."

"Please, understand that unlike you, I'm obligated to follow orders." I sat down at her desk and watched her pace the floor of her barracks.

"This is unbelievable. I'm not even employed there anymore." She muttered.

I watched her until I got dizzy. "Regina, please sit down, or at least stop pacing." I rubbed my forehead.

She glared at me, but finally sat on the side of her bed. When I met her eyes, her expression softened. I smiled tiredly at her, grateful that she had settled down. "I don't know all the details," I told her honestly, "but according to Lieutenant Mulan, they are sending us out, in part, to help keep you safe."

"That's rich." She added sarcastically. "Sending us out into the battleground for my safety."

"Well, that's the army for you."

"So, this is happening then?" She sighed.

"Yeah, we leave at 1200 hours. Noon."

"Okay, but I'm not doing this for the company; I'm doing it for the soldiers at the outposts."

"Works for me." I said quickly before I yawned. "I have to get some sleep before we go." I stood and rubbed my eyes.

"I need to repack." Regina waved towards her empty duffle bag. "Why don't you just sleep here and keep me company?"

"I wouldn't be very good company if I'm sleeping." I pointed out.

She shrugged. "But I'd feel better if you were with me."

I looked at her bed, remembering how much nicer it was than my bunk. It only took a second to make up my mind. "Hang on." I walked out and talked to Nolan.

"Hey, I have the guard. Come relieve me at 1115 so I can shower before we go.

The Staff Sergeant raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. "Yes Ma'am. You have the guard."

I went back inside and locked the door. "There, that's settled. You sure you don't mind?" I asked.

"Not at all. Sleep well, Emma." She graced me with a soft smile.

She didn't have to tell me twice. I slid my boots off and lined them up next to her bunk before I crawled on top of the bed. "Good night." I laid on my side, watching her repack. My eyelids grew heavy and I felt myself fall into a pleasant slumber.

When Regina woke me up at 1110, I was covered with a blanket. "Hey." I smiled sleepily at her.

"Hey yourself. I figured you wanted to be awake before Staff Sergeant Nolan arrived."

I swung my body up and stood on the floor. "Yeah, thanks." I slipped my boots on and ran my fingers through my hair. "I'll see you in half an hour." I added before I went outside. I wasn't there more than two minutes before Nolan showed up to relieve me of the guard duty.

Freshly showered and ready to go, I met the team and Lieutenant Mulan at the Humzee at 1200. We stood outside the vehicle chatting with Ruby and Belle when the sound of Taps began playing. Immediately all the soldiers in sight snapped to attention. Regina was just a second behind us as she, too, stood stock still next to Sergeant Blanchard.

No words were needed when eleven flag-draped caskets were carried from the rear of the admin building and loaded into three Army trucks. Each casket was carried by six soldiers in full dress uniform, complete with white gloves and shined black patent leather shoes. It was the only time soldiers in the Frey were allowed in full dress uniforms. We continued to stand at attention until the trucks engines roared to life and drove out the gates towards the airport. I felt my throat constrict as memories of my last tour flooded my mind. Last time five of those coffins belonged to my teammates, this time it was somebody else who would bear the burden of losing their comrades.

Once Lieutenant Mulan broke from Attention, we followed suit. "Let's get going." I ordered and the seven of us loaded up into the new, bigger Humzee. As before, Graham sat in the driver's seat, Blanchard sat shotgun and Nolan situated himself in the turret. I hopped in and buckled myself into my seat in the second row, noting that Regina had done the same. Behind us, on the small, third-row bench seat, Lieutenant French and Corporal Hood sat close together.

I tapped the top of the driver's seat. "Let's roll." I said and Sergeant Graham put the Humzee in gear. We pulled through the gates of Camp Azor and out onto the road heading north. The hum of the engine, combined with the rhythm of the road soon put me to sleep. When I awoke, I checked the GPS and saw we only had one hour until we reached Outpost Kelling.

"I must have slept well." I smiled at Regina.

"Yes, you needed it." She smiled back and my heart fluttered.

I looked outside, noticing the fields and orchards in the valley. "Let's stop at the next village." I wanted to get a feel for the region near the outpost and sometimes the locals had a better sense of what was really happen in the area then the army. Fifteen minutes later we saw a small town on the horizon; ten minutes later we were there. _ I wish Rum was with us._ I envied his grasp of languages; a skill that was most useful when we tried to talk to the locals. My team's rudimentary grasp of basic phrases would have to suffice if we wanted to find out anything worthwhile. Not surprisingly, as soon as we stopped the Humzee, we were swarmed by children seeking candy. That actually was a very good sign that the area was peaceful and firmly in the Republic's domain.

I handed Regina a bag of small chocolate bars. "Give each kid one or two." My team opened the door and Blanchard loudly said "Zalu longei mardu." All of the kids took a step back to let us out of the vehicle. Once we were out, however, they giggled and surrounded us.

I grinned at their expectant faces as I handed each of them two small candy bars. I looked through the vehicle window at Regina. She had a look of sheer terror on her face as the children pressed in. Holding the bag high above her head, she had her back pressed firmly against the Humzee door. Blanchard noticed her predicament and yelled "Kwal Narr!" _Be nice_! Immediately the kids settled down and stepped back from Regina. Blanchard carefully reached over and took the bag from her hands before opening it and passing the candy bars out to the remaining children.

I wanted to rush over and help, but it wasn't necessary and it would have drawn unneeded attention to Regina. Instead I focused on looking around the town square. I couldn't help but compare the layout of the village to the layout of the mock battle town at Camp Azor. The similarities were striking from the open air markets, to the architecture of the buildings, and for a moment I instinctively searched for snipers in the rooftops. There were none, of course; as I said this town was clearly under full protection of the Republic.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked Regina as my team walked into the market. Fresh squash, pumpkins and gourds filled the hand woven baskets that lined the tables. Other baskets were full of apples from the nearby orchards, which Regina made a beeline for.

"I had no idea children could be so intimidating." She replied flatly as she studied the apples.

"They pretty much expect that we come bearing goodies. It's been that way since the war started."

"They could eat these apples, what need do they have of candy?" She pointed out, which caused me to laugh, which, in turn made her glare at me. "Something funny, Miss Swan?"

"Seriously, Regina?" I snickered again. "What kid would want an apple over chocolate?"

"I did." She picked out six fruit and put them in front of the merchant.

"Of course you did." I muttered.

"And I imagine you had a bounty of candy and cookies growing up?" She mocked.

"I was lucky to get two meals a day, let alone goodies." I snipped at her and walked away. She should have known better, I'd told her a lot about my childhood.

"Emma," she followed me into the street. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive of me."

"It's fine, let it go." My anger was getting the best of me and I just wanted to get away. "Hey Nolan." I called to the staff sergeant. He looked at me and I put up an open hand. "Five minutes and we roll." The blonde man nodded at me and passed the word to Blanchard and Graham.

I found Corporal Hood as she was picking out a large variety of squash. "I'm hoping to give it to the cooks at the different Outposts. It's always in my best interest to make friends with the person who makes my food." She explained as she paid the woman behind the table.

"Let Lieutenant French know we are leaving in five." I told her as I bought two dozen apples and some dried cinnamon sticks. I figured the cooks at Outposts Carile and Isler probably didn't have as much access to fresh produce as Outpost Kelling, and I wanted to be on the cooks' good list, too. We loaded up in the Humzee, all the produce sitting between me and Ms. Mills, forming a short wall. I tapped the driver seat and we headed north to Kelling.

Kelling was probably the most permanent of all the Combat Outposts in the Frey. It was well established with wooden-framed canvas barracks, similar to the ones at Camp Azor. Instead of the two thousand soldiers at Azor, however, the Outpost had just over one hundred soldiers. About ten of them were permanently assigned to Kelling for a three year deployment. The rest came for a year with their company or platoon. Those soldiers would work to protect the outpost and the region around it.

We pulled up to the main gate and showed our papers to the guard on duty. She radioed someone and then nodded and raised the gate, waving us inside. We followed the signs and pulled in front of the small HQ building. We entered and were greeted by the outpost commander Captain Xavier and his assistant, Lieutenant Mendell. "We expected you to arrive this morning," the captain stated when I reported for duty. He looked at my group and cocked his head. "I also only expected five soldiers."

"We were delayed at Azor." I handed him my team's paperwork. "Lieutenant French is here from Health Services to meet with your medical staff. Corporal Hood is from the Culinary Division. She will spend time with your mess staff." He signed it and handed it back to me. I folded them and tucked them neatly in my small leather portfolio case. I checked my watch. _1733. _

"The crate of armor was dropped off this afternoon. You can set up your operation in the other room of this building. I'll leave the rest of the details to Lieutenant Mendell." He stated before he walked back into his office and shut his door.

The Lieutenant quickly gave us the rest of the information we needed. "Females will bunk in barrack three, men in barrack six. Ms. Mills, we have a separate barrack for you."

"Thank you." She gave him one of her fake smiles.

He handed her a list with the names of all of the soldiers currently attached to the outpost. "The troops work in two day shifts; you can catch group one today before they go out in the morning, and group two tomorrow when then return from their rotation. The handful of us who are permanently on base are available between 0800 to 2000 hours."

"You aren't assisting me?" She said in surprise as Lieutenant Mendell turned away.

"No Ma'am, that's not in my job description." He scoffed.

I reached out and touched her shoulder. "It's okay, the team will assist you."

She looked at me with warm brown eyes. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"Ms. Mills," The lieutenant interrupted, "I do, however, need a timeline from you."

"Okay." She absently replied as she perused the list. "I'll get set up and be ready for group one by 1900 hours."

"I'll let their CO's know." He made a note.

"Shall we?" I nodded to my team and we left the building. We drove to barrack three, where Blanchard, Hood, French and I unloaded our gear and went inside to claim our bunks.

"Well, this is cozy." Blanchard stated as we entered the tent with four bunks and one table. Two of the bunks were on each side of the tent; I tossed my duffel bag on the nearest one and Blanchard neatly placed hers on the bunk next to mine. Ruby and Belle settled onto the other two.

As soon as I picked out my bunk, I left the barrack and found Regina right outside. "Okay, let's take a look at your barrack." I smiled and we walked to her tent next door. As usual, I went in first and inspected the layout. Satisfied that the tent was secure I told her to come in. Her barrack was smaller than ours, set up to house two soldiers.

"Aren't you bunking with me? She asked as she set her duffel bag on one of the bunks.

"I'll be with you twenty-four/seven."

"Then why is your gear in the other tent?"

I stumbled for a good answer. "Propriety dictates that I house with other soldiers. But when you sleep, I'll be in here sleeping, too."

"Very well," she acquiesced as she unpacked her toiletries and set them on the table. "I'm ready to get to work whenever you are."

My team worked most of the evening, unpacking and sorting the MCV gear into different stacks based on size. As the soldiers trickled through and exchanged their old gear for new, it was my job to accept the armor they were turning in, and log it into the computer. Nolan and Graham packed up the old armor, while Blanchard helped Regina distribute the new armor. It was a fairly efficient system and once we hit our stride we were like a well-oiled machine. I have to admit I kinda liked helping Regina out; it was different than my usual work as a soldier, but I still was serving my country and helping my fellow comrades stay safe.

I had fallen asleep easily that night. Being Regina's constant companion and guard had its perks. For one, it meant that she was sleeping nearby; which was completely selfish on my part, that I enjoyed having her so near. As I was falling asleep I heard Nolan and Graham change guard shifts outside. We were as safe as one could be in a warzone.

But, I must have been really tired or stressed because the dreams started again, as realistic and detailed as ever. But this time, as I inched towards the dead driver, the pain in my leg threatening my consciousness, I heard a new voice. "Emma, move over." I stopped my forward motion and scooted my hips, then my shoulders sideways in the dirt. Then I was pinned, but I didn't feel trapped and the dream faded away into blissful, warm darkness. I suppose I shouldn't have been so surprised the next morning to find that I wasn't alone in my bunk. As I woke up, I felt the soft, steady breathing behind me. Then I realized that my bare feet were intertwined with someone else's. Regina. A small smile came unbidden to my lips.

I lied there, enjoying the feeling of a warm body pressed against my backside. Her tanned arm was loosely wrapped around my stomach, her breath tickled the hairs on my neck. I debated rolling over, but I didn't want to wake her up and I really didn't want her to leave my side. I must have drifted back asleep because I woke back up alone in bed. I rolled over, missing the warmth of Regina's body. She was sitting at the small table, sipping coffee and writing in a notebook.

I cleared my throat. "Good morning."

"Good morning." She toasted me with her paper coffee cup. "Sergeant Blanchard was kind enough to get us some coffee and bagels this morning."

_Ohhhh, coffee_. My brain registered the smell of the bitter drink. I sat up and stretched, feeling my muscles loosen. Ambling over to the table, I sat across from the civilian and sipped my black coffee.

"What's on the agenda today?" I picked out a bagel and inspected it. It was cold, but at least it had been toasted. I spread the plastic container of cream cheese on one half as I listened to the plan.

"According to the schedule Lieutenant Mendell gave me, group two should be arriving back at the outpost at 1000 hours. They will give their report to group one, who then departs at 1100. We can start processing Group Two beginning at 1400 hours. Hopefully we can have everything wrapped up by suppertime."

I chewed a chunk of bagel and swallowed it before I responded. "Lieutenant Mulan said that the crate of old armor will be shipped back to Azor within the next couple of days. The general has agreed to hold all three crates there until we arrive back and can inspect them."

A look of pure relief flitted across Regina's face. "Excellent. I really need to be able to find any PPI armor and document it."

"Well, we didn't see any yesterday, maybe today we'll get lucky." I offered.

"Maybe." She shrugged noncommittally.

I took the guard that morning so that the rest of my team could get take much needed break. As Regina and I walked back from lunch, and uneventful fare of tomato soup, nasty old celery sticks with peanut butter, and grilled "mystery meat" sandwiches, we ran into Ruby near the backdoor of the kitchen. "Hey, I didn't think you smoked." I scolded her.

She just shrugged and took another drag. "I don't." She winked at me before blowing two smoke rings in our direction. Snubbing the small butt out on a metal drum, she sauntering over to us with a toothy grin. "I haven't smoked a cigarette since I've been in the Frey. The cooks were teasing me about not being a _real soldier_, so I bummed a cig from one of them and showed them I knew a thing or two about smoking. It shut them up." She laughed before her eyes went wide. "Oh shit!" She pulled a pack of gum out from her pockets and stuck a stick in her mouth, chewing frantically. "Hey, Lieutenant," she greeted Belle.

"What stinks?" Belle's nose crinkled.

"Oh." Ruby casually waved towards the kitchen door. "Some of the guys were just taking a smoke break."

"Ah." Belle replied. I could tell she wasn't totally convinced, but she smiled anyways. "I'm done for the rest of the day, unless there are any casualties coming in." We all walked away from the kitchen and sat down on a remote picnic table. Belle looked at me. "This place is more like a band-aid station then a medical unit. They airlift anything remotely serious down to Azor."

I wasn't surprised. "Probably just over a two hour trip by chopper."

"True, but the doctor here is more interested in research than in helping live soldiers. He belongs in a laboratory, not a war zone." She sighed.

"What about his nurse?"

"She's rather...severe." She shook her head. "Never even smiled or offered to help me. I think they make quite a pair. No wonder the soldiers don't use the facility. The patient logs are empty except for a fractured ankle from a rugby game last month. I looked over the logs of the medics from the different companies that are stationed here; they provide all of the medical services even when they are in the outpost. I know they're well trained, but some of this stuff is out of their scope of practice. The soldiers refuse to see Doctor Victor, even if it's something that should be seen by a physician." She shook her head again.

There really wasn't much any of us could say; medical stuff was the lieutenant's field, not ours. "Well, I guess your report back to the Chief Medical Officer at Azor will be interesting."

"Absolutely. Hopefully the other two outposts will be better staffed." She turned her focus on Ruby. "How was your day, Corporal?"

I zoned out as Ruby went into detail about the ins and outs of culinary services. I glanced over at Regina, who was sitting with her eyes closed, basking in the sun. Her black hair shimmered in the light, adding a softness to her demeanor. I blushed and looked away when I realized that Ruby had caught me staring.

She nudged Belle. "Why don't you and I go for a walk, you can tell me more about your day."

Belle smiled and nodded. "If you two will excuse us, we're gonna, um...go for a walk." I grinned as they stood up; Regina never opened her eyes, she just waved them off.

Once they walked away, she, still relaxing in the warmth of the sun, asked softly. "Are they dating?"

I debated before telling her. "Yeah."

"They're cute together."

"Yeah, they are." I smiled.

That afternoon was similar to the day before. We managed to process all of group two's soldiers, as well as all of the outpost staff, by dinnertime. After supper, we packed all the old gear up into a large wooden crate and screwed it up tight for the helicopter to airlift it.

We finished up and went our separate ways. I knew that Nolan had the guard tonight while I was sleeping, so I doubled checked that he would be at his post at 2200 hours so Regina and I could both get a good night's sleep. Because Nolan would be awake all night, he would sleep on the trip to the next outpost and I would take his spot in the turret.

"Want to take a shower?" I asked Regina when we got back to her quarters.

"Together?" She teased, laughing when I sputtered.

"Yes. I mean no. I mean yes, at the same time, but in different stalls."

"I knew what you meant, Emma."

"Well, I just needed to make sure, considering the shower house will be full of women."

"I bet Belle and Ruby will share a stall."

"I bet they don't. Out here in the Frey, fraternization is really cracked down on. But if we're gonna go, we have to do it soon. The showers are open to the women from 2000 to 2100 hours only."

As I predicted, the shower house was full. The five of us from my group, plus another dozen or so female soldiers who were assigned to Kelling, managed to shower in the one hour time slot allotted to us. Fortunately it wasn't a group shower situation, like I've had at other outposts; I don't know that I could have handled a wet and naked Regina, regardless of the situation.

I had just settled into my bunk to sleep when I felt a weight on the bottom of my bunk. I opened my eyes to see Regina looking at me with her smoldering brown eyes. "Hey," I smiled at her.

"I was thinking," she looked around the tent. "that maybe, I could help stop the nightmares before they start." She ran a smooth fan pattern in my top blanket with her hand.

"Well, what do you propose?" I didn't want to make any assumptions.

"Since last night you calmed down when I...you know...joined you in your bunk. Maybe it would keep the nightmares at bay if I stayed with you all night." She shrugged, continuing to make patterns in my blanket.

I don't know if it was the chill in the air or the desire to stave off the dreams but I scooted over in my bunk and made room for her to join me. We laid there, side by side in the small berth. I finally rolled towards her and hesitantly stretched my arm over her torso. She rolled over and snuggled her backside closer to me. I tightened my grip, and she gave a long, soft sigh. _God, I could get used to this._ I thought as I felt my body relax and sleep claim me.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N; As always, thank you Elodealeaf for the fine beta job.

And thank you to each of you who read, follow, favorite this story; especially to those who take a moment and just post a quick comment about the chapter.

**Chapter Thirty**

Late the next morning, fat droplets of rain pelted our windows as we drove towards Outpost Isler. I checked the readings on the GPS. "Why aren't we going north?"

"Well," Blanchard turned and faced me. "We have to go over two mountain passes to get there." She panned out the GPS view so I could see the entire route. Sure enough, we had to weave in and out of two passes to get back to our side of the Riendahl mountain range. "The main road on the original route was bombed three weeks ago, so we've been rerouted."

I rubbed my forehead, feeling the ache in my skull. "What's our ETA?"

"The rain's making it slow going; the roads aren't in the best condition." She studied her map and the GPS. "Probably another seven hours if we're lucky."

I had to smile a bit when Ruby chimed in. "I brought snacks!" Next thing I knew I was being hit with a basket. I took it and looked inside. Muffins, fruit and beef jerky filled the container. I took one of each and passed it to Regina, who did the same before passing the basket to the front seat.

"You're the best, Ruby." Graham glanced at her in his rear-view mirror.

"Yes, you are." I heard Belle's soft voice agree.

We drove in the mountains for three more hours before we finally outran the rainstorm.

"Do you want to stop for a bit Staff Sergeant?" Blanchard asked as she showed me the map.

"Yeah, looks like a fairly isolated area. Let's do it."

We took advantage of the break and got out to stretch our legs. Though the skies were dry, it must have rained earlier that day because the grass was still wet, the ground soft. I shivered as the wind picked up, cutting right through my BDU jacket. I noticed Graham had walked off from the group and was about to call for him, when I realized his back was turned to us so he could relieve himself. Guys have it so easy. I shook my head and turned around.

The final mountain pass was a steep and winding road that, once crested, opened up into a valley of unharvested fields. We drove down the mountain road and towards the first village. This time though, there were no children gathering around the vehicle. I looked frantically around, hoping to see any sign of life in the village, but there was none. "Graham, drive!" I shouted and he sped off, leaving the small deserted town behind us.

"Call Mulan!" I ordered Blanchard as I methodically searched the perimeter. "You got anything Nolan?" I hated how my voice cracked.

"Negative." He called down.

I pulled my spare pistol from my bag and handed the holster, to Regina. "Just in case."

She eyed it warily, but then her expression hardened and she nodded, strapping the weapon to her leg. It was then I heard the tremor in Belle's voice as she confided to Corporal Hood. "I haven't shot a weapon in a very long time. I work so hard saving lives, there's been no time."

"It's okay, babe; we're gonna get through this." I whipped my head around to see Ruby hugging the Lieutenant.

"Now isn't the time for that." I snapped. "Hood, weapon at the ready; Lieutenant just stay the hell out of the way." I know it wasn't nice, but nice wasn't going to keep us alive. "Keep your eyes open." I stuck the muzzle of my rifle through the access hole, ready to fire if needed. Blanchard's earlier words of '_the main road was bombed three weeks ago'_ suddenly hit me, sending a cold chill through me.

"Blanchard, see anything?" I continued scanning the horizon.

"We don't have a phone signal, Master Sergeant."

"Keep trying."

"I have a signal." Belle yelled from the back. I quickly turned to see her holding a cell phone.

"Don't use it!" I ordered. "It doesn't have a scrambler. Sergeant Graham, get us up on a ridge."

"Understood, Master Sergeant."

"There!" Sergeant Blanchard pointed to a hill off in the distance. Graham turned off the road near a ravine and drove next to the tree line to help camouflage us. We came left the trees just as we crested the hill. Bad news was that we were not completely exposed; good news is we had a 360 view of the lowlands that surrounded us. More bad news was we were losing daylight as the sun set below the horizon.

"Got a signal!" Blanchard confirmed as she pushed the button on the phone to connect with the Lieutenant. "Hello." She spoke loudly, covering one ear with her hand to hear better. "This is Sergeant Blanchard, we were rerouted between Outposts Kelling and Carile, and just drove through a deserted village on the east side of the Riendahl Mountains. Request information regarding the status of the area. Yes I'll hold."

It seemed like eternity, but in was less than three minutes before Blanchard spoke again. "Okay, so you do have our position...affirmative, we had to go off the road to get a signal...Yes, Ma'am we can see the next village." I waited, holding my breath, for more information.

"Understood, Ma'am, we are now at Defcon Charlie."

_Shit_. The elevated Defcon level meant that we were definitely in a combat zone. Suddenly the GPS flickered, the map disappeared, and lines of white text began to scroll across the black screen. I felt Regina reach over and grab my arm as Blanchard read it out loud to the rest of us. "Company D, 23rd Battalion of the 12th Brigade, effective 1833 hours, you have been upgraded to Defcon Charlie by order of General Marco, Commanding Officer of Republic Camp Azor. Reports of active insurgent cells has been verified near your location. Advised to follow new transmitted route to Combat Outpost Carile. Be advised Combat Outpost Carile is also under Defcon Charlie due to recent terrorist action less than ten miles due north of its location. Unable to verify any safe havens between your current location and the location of Oupost Carile. Operate with extreme caution. Your position is now being actively monitored until further notice." The screen flickered again and the aerial map returned, this time with new route directions.

"Yes, Ma'am, I'm still here." Blanchard spoke into the phone. "Understood." She passed the phone to me.

"Master Sergeant Swan." I said as I propped the phone to my ear with my shoulder.

_"Master Sergeant, I'm seeing this intel report for the first time, too. Do you think it would be safer to double back and return to Outpost Kellng?_"

I checked the GPS readout. "Negative, Lieutenant. According to the GPS we are only forty-five minutes away from Carile. It would be a seven hour trip back to Kelling."

_Understood. I am actively monitoring your situation. Contact me again if you need anything."_ I could hear the tension in her voice.

"Understood Lieutenant. Master Sergeant Swan out." I passed the phone back to Blanchard and took a deep breath. "Graham, move out. No lights." He checked to make sure the outside lights were all off. The new route was far bumpier than the road had been, and we were all being jostled around as we ran over potholes and ruts in the dirt road.

"Night vision goggles everyone, we're gonna go as stealth as possible." I pulled mine out of my ditty bag at my feet and quickly adjusted them. "I could see Regina struggling with hers. "Lieutenant French, assist Ms. Swan." I ordered, and she leaned forward to help the civilian. "Okay all eyes outside, scan the horizon, report any movement or suspected movement ASAP."

"Nolan, focus on the road ahead of us. Look for anything unusual." He was trained to recognize signs of possible IEDs. It was more likely that we would hit a road bomb then be shot at now that it was dusk. "Graham, you too. Hood, get up between Graham and Blanchard, and help monitor out the left front windshield. She crawled between me and Regina, using both of us to brace herself as she slowly moved forward.

"Incoming!" Nolan yelled down from the turret. "Graham, ten o'clock."

"I see it." Graham replied, wrenching the steering wheel hard to the right as he stepped on the accelerator.

I looked out my window to the ten o'clock position in time to see the streaky movement of a missile heading in our direction. "Brace yourselves!" _Go, go go_. My brain screamed as Graham struggled to get us out of the path of the rocket.

I could feel the shockwave as the missile landed behind us. Graham managed to maintain control of the Humzee as it was forced sideways.

"Nolan, you got a visual?" I asked as I made sure everyone was alright. Ruby got the worst of it, since she wasn't strapped into a seatbelt. She touched her forehead, her hand came away covered in sticky blood. "Belle, Ruby's injured. Ruby, get back to Belle." As she crawled to the backseat I called out. "Nolan, anything?"

"Negat...Affirmative, three vehicles heading west. Looks like they're running." He reported.

"Blanchard, what's our heading?"

"Due north, Master Sergeant." Her voice was higher pitched than usual.

"Copy that. Contact Mulan. Graham continue on the route, but keep us as close to the treelines as possible."

"Understood." He nodded.

'No signal." Blanchard called out.

"Keep trying." I turned to Belle. "How is she?"

"Looks like it's just a laceration. I've got the bleeding under control." She had Ruby strapped into the seat, and had thrown a quick 4x4 and Coban bandage over the wound.

Lastly, I looked at Regina. She was sitting perfectly still, her face devoid of all emotion. "Regina." I called out, but she didn't reply. I tried again, this time gently shaking her shoulder. She turned her head slightly and glanced at me. "You okay?" I asked softly.

She just nodded her head, but I felt her shoulders relax.

"Take a couple deep breaths." I encouraged her.

She took in one long, shaky breath, holding it for a few seconds before she released it. The next breath was smoother and more controlled.

"Are you hurt?" I looked her over, but didn't see any visible injuries.

"No, just got a little uh..." She held out her hand and I could see it trembling.

"It's okay, you got shook up. Just keep breathing." I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before I released it.

"Nolan, anything?"

"Negative, Swan." He continued scanning the full perimeter from the turret.

"Master Sergeant." Blanchard got my attention. I turned to see text rolling once again across the GPS screen. "Company D, 23rd Battalion of the 12th Brigade, we have been unable to contact you via satellite phone. Intelligence reports indicate an explosion near your location. New route information is being sent. Advise you to proceed to nearest bunker, as indicated on map. Report in when able." The text disappeared and the map was again shown, but this time our route ended two miles from our current position.

"Do it." I ordered and Graham followed the route until we ended up near a tree line of a river. "Nolan, take MIlls and find the bunker. Graham and Blanchard camouflage the vehicle. French and Hood you stay here until furthered ordered."

I got out and started searching for the entrance to the bunker. With my night vision goggles, I could see the Staff Sergeant and Regina walking along the tree line. Nolan suddenly stopped and raised his hand, signalling he found it. "Okay, let's get as much gear inside as possible; French, take your medical gear and escort Hood to the bunker. Hopefully we'll have lights inside." I had no idea how primitive our hiding spot would be.

I turned again to see Nolan and Regina pulling planks off of the ground. Lieutenant French and Corporal Hood walked carefully to them. Nolan disappeared momentarily and then reappeared, signaling it was safe to proceed. He remained above ground, but the others went inside. Blanchard and Graham had found the camo netting that would hide our vehicle. They waited until I pulled the last of the gear out of the vehicle before covering it completely.

It took us five trips for the three of us to haul all the gear to the opening of the bunker. Nolan took it from there and handed it down to the others inside. Finally, we were done and with one last unsuccessful attempt to call back to Camp Azor, we closed the well concealed bunker door and locked it from inside. It was a cement enclosure setup to temporarily house four soldiers. It was dimly lit when I finally went down the small set of stairs and into the bunker itself. Two sets of bunk beds lined one wall, a set of bedding sealed in an airtight bag sat on each thin mattress. A small collapsible table and four folding chairs were propped up against a metal cabinet on one wall. Thankfully, there was a wall that separated the latrine from the rest of the bunker.

"Okay, not bad." I announced as I searched the metal cupboard to discover a months worth of freeze-dried foods. Each vacuum sealed pouch was portioned to serve four persons and could be easily prepared with room temperature water. I picked out two that were benignly labeled_ Chicken with Rice._ I also selected two packages each of _Corn_ and_ Raspberry Crumble_. "Blanchard and Nolan, you're on KP duty tonight."

I assessed the sleeping arrangement and announced, "the four of us will take two hour rotating guard shifts tonight." I turned to Lieutenant French. "You and Hood will share a bunk." I pointed to the upper bunk on the right wall. "Regina, you take the other upper bunk. The four of us will work out a sleep and guard rotation after supper." Everyone nodded, but nobody moved.

I figured out that they were waiting for me to dismiss them. I gave a grim smile as I looked around. "Alright, today was a rough one and," I blew out my breath, "fortunately we had luck on our side, as well as a good support system at Camp Azor. Tonight, we're safe. Eat some food, get some sleep and we'll worry about tomorrow when it gets here. There's really nothing more we can do tonight than just try to unwind and recuperate. Dismissed." As far as pep talks went, it wasn't my best, but it seemed to do the trick because once I finished, the room was filled with soft chatter and even occasional laughter.

I pulled my team aside after dinner was cleaned up and we drew up a schedule. It was 2120 when we finished our meeting; I'd take the first watch when 'lights out' started at 2130. Graham would relieve me at 2330, then Nolan at 0130, Blanchard at 0330 and then me again at 0530. As we were dispersing, Blanchard touched my arm.

"Hey, I know it's not standard protocol, but I was wondering if, well...since there's only two bunks left and three of us sleeping at any given time, then maybe, um..."

I decided to save her from having to ask. "Sergeant Blanchard would you be opposed to sharing a bunk with Staff Sergeant Nolan?"

Her eyes lit up and a small smile graced her face. "Not at all." She touched my arm again. "Thank you, Master Sergeant."

"Bottom bunk under Hood and French." I directed and she immediately pulled her duffle bag to the foot of the bed. She cocked her head at Nolan and he did the same.

"You get bottom bunk, left side." I informed Graham.

"Thank you." He nodded.

"Where will you sleep?" I heard the soft, silky voice ask.

I turned and saw Regina watching me. "Um, well I have the first watch. Then I guess I'll just prop myself up in a chair." I gave a deprecating laugh. "I've slept in much worse places."

"Or," she gave a shy smile. "you could bunk with me."

I considered her offer. "Or I could bunk with you."

"Thank you." Her expression softened, allowing me to see the relief in her dark eyes.

By 1130, everyone had finished getting ready for the night. "Alright lights out." I said before I turned off the light switch, leaving just a small light coming from the makeshift bathroom. "Sleep well everyone."

I stood at the foot of the staircase, facing the ascending steps. My weapon was in my hands, ready to defend our position if we were discovered. I noticed that everyone else, with the exception of Belle, also had their weapons near their bunks, at the ready if required.

There were a few moments of soft noises as everyone adjusted in their bunks, trying to get comfortable. Eventually though, they all fell asleep and the only sounds were steady breathing and an occasional cough. I heard gentle snoring from the upper bunk, but I wasn't sure if it was Belle or Ruby. The two hours of quiet gave me a chance to assess the day and to figure out how I was doing.

I was tired. That was my first realization as I felt the ache in my muscles from the long ride. I was also still wound-up from the missile attack. I worried about what we needed to do tomorrow; if we were going to be able to leave and get to Carile, or if we would be detained in the bunker until another fire-team was sent to rescue us. If it was the latter, then we would be there awhile. There was no sense sending another group of soldiers into danger, so the outpost commander would wait until the fighting in the region was contained, before he sent anyone out to see if we were here. I sighed and realized that, either way, what mattered was we were all safe; we had food, shelter, water and each other. Yeah, it was going to be cozy if we had to stay for very long, but I was sure we would manage just fine, And, if we were able to leave for Carile in the morning, or the near future, then it would just be another story we could share about our trips in the Frey.

The two hours went surprisingly fast. I startled when I heard Graham's soft voice. "I have the watch, Master Sergeant. Sleep well."

I gave him a smile in the darkness. "You have the watch. Thank you Graham. You did an excellent job today."

I removed my boots and quietly climbed the stairs to the upper bunk, hoping to not wake Regina.

"Hey." Her soft voice called. I felt my heart warm at her greeting.

"Hey yourself." The small light from the bathroom was enough for me to see that Regina had scooted over to make space for me on the bunk. She was facing the wall, so I curled up beside her and covered us with the blankets. Once I was settled, I felt her shift and press herself closer to me. I tentatively wrapped an arm around her, happy when she sighed and I felt her relax. I pressed a quick kiss to her shoulder. "Good night, Regina."

"Good night, Emma."

...

NEWS: My last story **_Realm of Shadows _**has been made into a downloadable e-book! If you are interested in downloading it send me at email at my gmail account of RavensBear at gmail dot c0m (you'll have to type it in as a normal address in your email) I'll be more than happy to send you the link.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Thank you Elodealeaf for being such an awesome beta, even during this hectic time of the semester for you.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read my story. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Take a moment and post a message or PM me if you would like!

**Chapter Thirty-one**

Sergeant Blanchard gently woke me at 0530 the next morning. "Master Sergeant, time for you to take the watch."

"Okay." I whispered back, eyes still closed as I reveled in the warmth of the body next to mine. I forced myself to pull away and sit up, swinging my legs over the side of the upper bunk. "I'm awake." I could see the Sergeant's outline in the dim light from the bathroom. Rolling over, I found my footing on the ladder and softly descended in the quiet room. I padded to the latrine before coming back, finding my boots and taking over the guard watch.

"Everything's been quiet. You have the watch." Blanchard said.

"Thank you Sergeant, I'll wake everyone up at 0700 hours. I have the watch, get some sleep." I unholstered my pistol and took up guard duty at the foot of the bunker stairs. I slowly twisted and turned, stretching my sore muscles and feeling warmth return to my limbs. The temperature in the bunker was cool, but not unbearable, especially if you were under the blankets. I listened to the sounds of my team as they slept in the darkness. Steady breathing and light snoring was all my ears picked up; other then that, my surroundings were silent. In my brain, I made a list of priorities for the next morning. We needed to find out if it was safe to leave and travel to Outpost Carile. That was the top priority so I determined the safest and most effective way to achieve that. I also realized that I was hungry. Last night's dinner was filling and the cobbler was surprisingly tasty, but my growling stomach reminded me that dinner was quite a few hours ago.

At 0700 I quickly made the rounds and gently shook each of the team awake. Regina was hardest to reach, since she was on the top bunk and still was rolled towards the wall. I stood on the lower bunk and reached up, finding her hip. I gave it a soft squeeze and quietly called to her. She rolled onto her back, closer to me now, and I could see that she was gorgeous even with bed head. "Time to wake up." I smiled apologetically.

She slowly rubbed her face with her palms. "Okay, I'm up."

Everyone was moving around the bunker, getting dressed, packing their duffel bags and using the latrine. There was a small sink, operated with a foot pump, where Blanchard was currently brushing her teeth and Nolan, standing behind her, was fixing his hair. I looked over at Ruby. "Hood, you and Lieutenant French are on KP this morning." Ruby immediately stood up and made herself useful by starting the coffee and picking out our freeze-dried meal. She gave Belle a large pot and told her to fill it from the water spigot and boil the water on the portable burner.

"Graham." I sat next to him on his bunk. "Top priority is to establish contact with either Mulan or the Intel department. We need to know if we are moving out today."

He nodded as he pulled on his boots. "I brought the GPS inside last night." He reached over to his duffle and turned the unit to _on_. We waited for the satellite to pick up our location. "It may take them a few minutes for them to realize that we've turned the GPS on."

"Keep at it then, and let me know if something shows up." I ordered before I stood and walked over to the sink. "Nolan, I need you to cover me. I'm going to take the phone outside and see if I can get a signal."

"I'll do it, Master Sergeant." Blanchard volunteered. "We can't risk losing you."

I sighed, wanting to protest, but knowing she was right. As the team leader, it was critical that I survive. "Alright, thank you. Camouflage yourselves the best you can and stay low, near the tree line. Blanchard, you might have to work your way to higher elevation to get a signal."

"We'll be back soon." Nolan assured me as they grabbed their weapons and the phone. I watched them head up the short staircase where Nolan then unlocked the hatch and raised it enough to peer outside. He gave Blanchard the hand signal for all clear before he crawled out of the bunker and she followed. Once the hatch was closed again, I locked it and waited for them to signal that they had returned.

"Master Sergeant?" Graham called out. "We have a message."

"Bring it here." I ordered from the staircase, not wanting him to read it aloud. He did as instructed and brought me the GPS. There were three short lines of text across the black screen. _ Defcon Charlie. Proceed with extreme caution. Road to Combat Outpost Carile had no known threats as of 0722 hours. Out._

"Okay, let's wait till Nolan and Blanchard get back. Stay here and let them in when they're back."

"Understood," he said and I went back down into the main part of the bunker.

Corporal Hood greeted me with a paper cup. "Coffee?"

"Oh God, yes please." I pleaded.

She gave a cheery smile as she handed me the hot brew. "Breakfast will be ready in ten. Scrambled Egg Delight, biscuits and sausage bits."

"Sounds delicious." I said before I took the first, satisfying sip of coffee. "At least the coffee tastes good."

Her eyes lit up as she spoke enthusiastically. "I know, right? Those ration packs are amazing. I mean, I know they're probably way more expensive per meal than what we serve at Camp Azor. But I was really impressed with dinner last night, especially the cobbler. It was almost as good as Captain Lucas', but please don't tell her I said so." She had the decency to look a tiny bit afraid that the cook might find out that Ruby was comparing the freeze dried packs to her homemade desserts.

"Your secret is safe with me," I assured her as I refilled my coffee cup. "How's your head?"

Ruby touched the bandage on her forehead. "A little sore," she admitted, "but I'll survive."

I heard the commotion in the stairwell and I spun around, my free hand dropping to my pistol that was holstered on my thigh. Once I realized that it was just the three members of my team, I relaxed and took a deep breath before walking to the bottom of the stairs and listening to Blanchard's report.

"Master Sergeant, the signal was weak, but I was able to speak briefly to Lieutenant Mulan. She says we should move out asap before things deteriorate in the region. We should be about thirty minutes from the outpost; she wants us to contact her again when we arrive."

"Then we'll eat breakfast and go." I decided as we walked over and sat around the square table. "Show me a map of where we're going." Regina joined us, pulling up a chair across the table from me.

Graham pulled out the GPS as Blanchard extracted a map from her small attache. I compared the two, finally placing my finger on the map corresponding to where the GPS said we were located. "No villages between here and Carile, just the main road which looks like it's a straight shot through the valley and to the base of the mountains." Unlike Kelling, which was a more permanently established outpost that sat exposed in the middle of a valley, Outpost Carile was situated in the upper foothills of the Riendahl Mountain. We had travelled through Carile on our last tour of duty, when we drove from Camp Azor to our assignment at Combat Outpost Isler. I remembered it being almost hidden in the forested canopy of sycamores, spruces and oak trees.

"Your breakfast, Master Sergeant." Belle set a plate of food down next to me.

I looked up in surprise. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Everyone grab your food and come back." I didn't expect Ruby and Belle to have to wait on us. As they all stood, chairs scraping on the concrete floor, I studied the map closer, memorizing the details of the route. Once everyone had filled their plates they returned and seven of us crowded around the card table. We ate quickly, enjoying the warmth of the meal as it filled our stomachs.

"Finish it all up, guys. No sense letting anything go to waste." Ruby said as she stood and grabbed the leftovers, bringing them to the table. I reached and took another biscuit. The Corporal was right, the food was actually pretty darn good. Although everyone did eat a bit more, it was Nolan and Graham who happily finished off the last of it.

"Graham and Mills, you're on KP cleanup." I announced as I pulled out the laminated sheet of bunker departure instructions. "Everyone move their gear to the base of the stairs. Nolan you clean the latrine room and sink; cleaning supplies are in the cupboard. Blanchard and Ruby remake the beds, Lieutenant French, would you help me sweep and mop the floors?"

"Of course, Master Sergeant." She nodded at my request. I may have been the team leader, but she still outranked me.

It took us less than twenty minutes to have the bunker looking as if we had never been there. A small plastic bag filled with trash was the only addition to our luggage as we quickly uncovered and packed the Humzee. Nolan and Hood double checked that the hatch to the bunker was once again well camouflaged with logs and other natural debris. We all settled again in the vehicle as Graham started the engine and headed towards the designated road. It was a quiet journey as each of us were focused on ensuring we wouldn't be ambushed again. As we pulled up into the foothills of the mountain, leaving the valley behind us, I told Regina, Ruby and Belle a bit about Carile.

"The outpost is really rustic; all the latrines are outhouses and the barracks instead of being in tents, are caves, dug into the hillsides . We'll only take the necessities out of the vehicle, leave everything else behind." I looked directly at Ruby and Belle as I said the next part. "They don't have many women assigned to Carile, so for your safety be careful, make sure you're never alone. If you need an escort anywhere, just ask and we'll protect you. Ms. Mills, though you'll always have an escort, you need to be careful, too. These soldiers aren't used to civilians and they can be a bit crass. Hopefully we can do our job and get out of here as soon as possible."

We turned onto a rugged dirt road, following the GPS instructions. We hadn't gone further than two hundred yards when we were stopped by a team of four soldiers that had been hiding in the outcrop of trees. "State your business." One burly soldier with a rank designation of Staff Sergeant on his BDU sleeve approached Graham's window. The other three surrounded our Humzee with their rifles aimed at us.

Graham rolled his window down a couple of inches. "Sergeant Humbert Graham." He stated. "Company D, 23rd Battalion of the 12th Brigade. We have TDY orders for Combat Outpost Carile." I passed the papers to him and he slid them out the crack in the window. The Staff Sergeant examined them and passed them back.

"You may proceed." He waved us on. As we pulled away, his team slipped back into the shadows of the forest.

We drove for another ten minutes before we saw the small wooden sign that welcomed us to Carile. Graham drove in and found the outpost headquarters that were built into the side of a hill. We all got out, but I signalled to Nolan to have the group stay put when I went inside. As I walked past Blanchard I softly ordered her to call Mulan and check in with the Lieutenant.

"Master Sergeant Emma Swan reporting." I announced as I opened the wooden door and stepped inside the cavern. I waited as I heard footsteps approaching.

I watched as a giant of a man headed towards me. His bearded face and flowing gray hair was a sharp contrast to his uniform. I had seen others who looked similar to him when I stayed here one night last tour. They explained that it was important to blend in with the locals in the region, most of whom lived in the rugged mountains and wore their hair in a longer fashion. Still, it caught me momentarily off guard to see the Commanding Officer not have the usual crew cut.

"Good Morning, Master Sergeant. I hear you had some action last night." I waited as the Officer looked me over from head to boot.

"Captain Arlo. Yes, Sir, we were under fire." I nodded.

"You been to Carile before?" His eyes narrowed.

"Just in passing. My company from Fort Brookes was assigned to Isler last tour."

"Alright, well then you know we aren't set up for comfort here. I'll have Corporal Anton show you where your bunks are. He'll arrange the schedule with your civilian so you can get your job done and get on your way." He radioed for the soldier to report to HQ. "Make sure your females travel with the men in your team. I don't think most of the soldiers stationed here will cause you any trouble, but you need to watch your backs all the same."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

"Ah, Master Sergeant Swan, this is Corporal Anton. Corporal, show the Master Sergeant where they will be bunking tonight and set up the schedule as we discussed." I turned to see another large soldier, this one with his curly brown hair pulled back in a long ponytail and his beard full, but shorter than the Captain's.

"Of course, Captain." He looked at me. "Master Sergeant, this way please."

I followed him out of the cavern and we walked over to my team. I chuckled to myself when I saw Ruby and Belle's eyes widen as we approached. Even Regina seemed taken aback with his appearance. "It will be faster if you drive there and follow me." Corporal Anton offered.

"Okay," I said, "let's load up." My team followed my orders and we quickly got inside the Humzee. Anton got into the jeep that was parked in front of HQ. He lead us to a hillside that had six doors built in it. He got out of the vehicle and walked over to the first door. "This is the female quarters."

I walked in first to check it out. It was a small cave, but at least it had decent lighting, rugs on the floor, and was a comfortable temperature. There were four single cots lined up next to each other; each had blankets and a set of sheets folded neatly in a pile on top of them. I came back out and nodded to Blanchard. "Just put your gear down and come back out." I instructed as she, Ruby and Belle unloaded their duffel bags and walked inside, closing the wooden door behind them.

Corporal Anton then took us to the men's barracks, one door over, where Nolan went inside and then returned, nodding at the men. They too unpacked just their duffel bags and entered their barracks. A few minutes later the entire team had returned and reported in to me. Anton pointed out a very small building in the woods across the path from the barracks. "That's the latrine. Nothing fancy, won't even flush. You'll have to use your night vision goggles once it's dark or you won't be able to see anything. The outpost goes on blackout from dusk until dawn, so make sure you don't use flashlights, or cell phones, or lighters, or anything that would light up. You can use the lights in your barracks as long as the door is closed, but turn the lights off if you have to go outside."

A small group of soldiers walked by us as the Corporal spoke. I bristled when I saw the way the men were looking at the females of my team. One even had the balls to cock his head and smile at Regina. I memorized his face and took note of his rank and name as he moved to number one on my shit-list. "Ms. Mills." Anton nodded at Regina. "Your barracks are here." He pointed at the third door in the hill. She looked at me and I gave a quick nod before going in and inspecting her housing. Again, it was primitive, but practical; I noted that it was actually safer than a tent since there was only one way in. And for someone to get to her, they would have to go through me.

Satisfied, I came back out and nodded, but made no move to get her gear unloaded. Instead I came back and stood next to her as Corporal Anton finished his tour. He pointed down the road we had travelled. "You'll see a door marked MH. That's the mess hall. Lunch is served from 1200-1300 hours, dinner is from 1700-1800 hours. Don't be late, they close and lock the doors right on time. If you're late you won't eat." He helpfully informed us before he turned back to talk to Regina. "I have the list of the three companies who are assigned to the outpost. Do you want to go over this now or once you've settled in?"

She looked at me so I answered. "Give us half an hour and we'll come find you at headquarters."

He gave a shy smile. "Alright, I'll see you then."

I watched as he lumbered over to the jeep and drove off slowly towards the main part of camp. "Okay, I've got a bad feeling about this place." I stated. Everyone nodded in agreement. "Graham and Nolan, we're really going to rely on you to be a deterrent in keeping us safe. Graham, you have night guard over the women's barracks. Nolan, you will have night guard over Ms. Mills and me in her barracks. I sensed that Blanchard was going to protest being babysitted, I would have too in her situation. "I know you don't like it." I faced her and the other two women. "But it's my call."

"Yes, Master Sergeant." All three of them muttered. Another group of soldiers walked slowly by us, once again slowing their pace and checking out the females. "Eyes forward soldiers." Lieutenant Belle snapped at them and they all walked a bit more rigidly at her order. Once they passed I had to let out the small laugh I had been holding inside.

"Well done, Lieutenant." Nolan clapped her on the back and smiled. "Nothing like pulling rank to get them to behave."

She just shrugged. "I've never had to do anything like that before. I can't believe it worked."

"Of course it worked." I puzzled at her surprise. "Even if they are a bit rougher out here, they're still trained Republic soldiers. And that gold bar on your lapel reminded them that you're a First Lieutenant."

She fingered the embroidered insignia. "Well, I'm glad it was good for something today. Now, if you all don't mind, I think we should let Ms. Mills get settled so she can get her job done. Master Sergeant, I'd like to request that Sergeant Graham escort Corporal Hood and I to our respective domains. We have jobs to do, too."

"Of course." I nodded at Graham. "I'd like us to all meet up again after lunch. Let's plan on 1315 hours here at the barracks."

I grabbed Regina's and my duffel bags and brought them with me to her barracks. As I walked inside I nearly ran into her. She was standing like a statue just inside the doorway, so I cleared my throat to get her attention. "Everything alright?" I asked her as she slid over just enough for me to get past her.

"I've never been in a cave before." Her eyes searched the small cavern.

"You were in a bunker last night." I reminded her.

"That was man-made. This is..."

"Natural?" I helpfully supplied.

"Creepy."

_Oh_. "Well, I slept here one night on my last tour. It's just really quiet and really dark when the lights are out." I could see I wasn't helping my case. "Okay, well look at it this way, at least I get to bunk in the same room with you tonight."

"You bunked with me in Killian Jones' estate. So, you can't use that as a reason to sleep in a cave." Her eyes narrowed.

"True." I conceded. "But think of this, one day we'll look back and say _remember the time we slept in a cave_?"

She looked at me blankly.

_Oh shit, leave it to me to stick my boot in my mouth_. _ Once we're back in the Republic she'll forget all about me._ "I'm sorry." I blurted out. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." I waved my hands frantically.

"No, it's fine." Her tone was flat. "I've just been so caught up in being here, in the Frey. It's like the Republic is a different life, a whole world away." She stood and sighed, grabbing her duffel bag and setting it at the foot of her bed.

_Yep, she was gonna forget about me._ That thought made me sadder than it had any right to do. As I pulled my cot across the bare floor and positioned it between Regina and the doorway, I realized that I was screwed. I had been sent to protect and escort a rich war pirate on a short tour in Freylache. And I had been ordered to spy on her.

_Instead,_ I admitted to myself, _I was falling in love._ And knowing that once we were back on Republic soil, she would go back to her life of power and wealth, and I would go back to mine of being a common soldier, that was the truth that hurt my heart the most. I could be as noble and kind and strong as I wanted, but in the end, it wouldn't matter. I would become a footnote in the story of her life, whereas she'd just become a new chapter in mine.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Thanks to my beta, Elodealeaf, who does a wonderful job with my story. **

**Thanks, as always, to all of you who read this chapter, and especially those who take the thirty seconds and post me a comment. Get your tissues out...there's gonna be feels next chapter.**

**Chapter Thirty-two**

My team walked as a pack to HQ, partially because there was safety in numbers, and partially because we were all willing to help Regina out again. It was a fairly rugged path that we hiked, but at least it was fairly level. Even during the daylight hours the whole camp seemed to be hidden in shadows; the shade from the thick canopy of trees blocked out all but a few scattered areas of sunshine. It was colder here, too. I remember being chilled the entire day I was at Carile on my last tour. I turned up the collar of my BDU jacket and shoved my hands in the pockets. I noticed that all of my team were huddled in their uniforms.

As soon as we walked into the HQ cave the temperature was significantly warmer. It still was cool, but at least it was tolerable. The hum of the outdoor generators that provided electricity to HQ stopped as soon as the door was closed. Overhead fluorescent lights lit up the entryway where we stood waiting for a few minutes.

"You made it." Corporal Anton enthusiastically greeted us.

"We did." I nodded. "Any chance you have coffee?"

"Of course. I'll make you some. Come on, follow me so you don't get lost." He smiled and turned to walk away. My team did as he suggested and we walked quickly to keep up with his longer strides. I was plenty warm by the time we reached a small space where he declared, "here we are." As we had walked I noticed that although the building was inside a large cavern, it was definitely a military installation. They had built an office complex inside the cave, complete with tile floors, finished ceilings, walls with doors leading to private offices, storage closets, cubicles and a small kitchen where Anton was brewing a fresh pot of coffee.

Regina sat at one of the conference tables and pulled out her laptop. "Well, this won't be so bad. I was worried we'd have to write everything down by hand." She gave a ghost of a smile as Anton returned and offered her a cup of coffee. "Thank you, Corporal."

He passed out coffee to all of us as we sat around the table.

"Corporal, why don't you join us so we can talk about the armor exchange from my company, Mills Combat Vestments." I heard the hitch in her voice as she spoke.

He sat down across from her. "Ma'am, no offense; it's real nice of you to offer to give us armor, but the truth is, it won't work for most us."

"Excuse me?" She focused on him with her sharp brown eyes.

"Well, ma'am, you may have noticed that a lot of us soldiers that are stationed here are a bit larger than other soldiers in the army. Your gear is nice and all, but it's too small."

She cocked her head. "Then what do you wear for armor?"

"Nothing." He held his palms out in front of him. "Captain Arlo has written your company plenty of letters about it, but nobody's ever answered him. We wrote to Republic Best Armor, too, but they said they couldn't make anything big enough to fit us." Regina had a fleeting look of irritation at the mention of RBA, the other company that was contracted with the Army to provide armor to its soldiers.

"And you claim that letters were sent to my company about this problem?" She pressed.

"Yes, ma'am; I typed every one of them up for the Captain. I have copies of them if you'd like me to print them off for you."

The vein on her forehead was twitching, and I realized that Regina was getting upset. "Yes, I'd like a copy of each letter as soon as possible."

"Okay, I'll be back in a bit." He stated before he left our small office.

"Ms. Mills." I forced her to focus on me. "I'm going to stay here with you until you figure this out, but I'm going to dismiss my team until you need them."

Her answer was just a curt nod.

I turned to Staff Sergeant Nolan. "You're all dismissed until 1300 hours. Grab some lunch and check on Lieutenant French and Corporal Hood." I lowered my voice. "Keep everyone safe."

"Yes, Master Sergeant." He looked me in the eyes and bobbed his head. "Meet you at the barracks at 1315?"

"Sounds good. Dismissed." My team stood and walked away.

The Corporal returned with a manila folder full of letters written on the Republic Army letterhead. From what I could see, it looked like there were at least twenty different letters. Regina quickly rifled through them, her eyes narrowing with each page. She pushed her hair behind her ear and started again from the beginning, reading each page thoroughly and making notes in the margins.

"Anything I can do to help?" I offered as I sat down across from her and watched her.

She held up one finger and continued reading. I just waited quietly and sipped my coffee, enjoying the bitter warmth in my throat.

Finally she closed the folder and rubbed her forehead. "I need to call my company." She stood and straightened her BDU jacket. "Where's the Corporal?"

"I don't know. He said he'd be right back." I shrugged.

"I can't wait, I'll be outside." She grabbed the folder and her phone and walked out of the office. I nearly tripped over in my chair as I quickly stood and chased after her.

"Ms. Mills, wait. You can't go out there alone." I caught up and fell in step with her.

"Please." The sarcasm was back in her voice. "I'm sure it's safe enough to walk outside the door and make a phone call."

Thankfully Corporal Anton intercepted us in the hallway. "Ma'am there's no cell phone signal in camp. But you're welcome to use one of our land lines. There's one in the room you were in."

She just huffed and strode, folder in hand, back to the office. I spun around and followed her.

"Wait there, Corporal." I yelled over my shoulder as I jogged to catch up to Regina.

"Okay, Master Sergeant Swan." I heard the confusion in his voice, but kept my focus on the businesswoman.

"This is a private business call." The brunette pointed at me as I entered the room. "If you need to be here, then I need you to wait outside the door."

"Fine, I'll be right outside."

"Close the door Master Sergeant," she ordered as I left. I might have slammed the door a little harder than necessary, but hey, she was kinda jerking me around. I saw Anton standing where he was when I left, and I realized that I had ordered him to stay there. I put my fingers to my lips and waved him over to me. He came immediately, a puzzled look on his face.

"Corporal, can you record that phone call?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"All calls are recorded." He whispered back.

"I need a copy of the call before I leave tomorrow. And Anton, she can't know." I tipped my head towards the door. He nodded. "Okay, dismissed. I'll find you when we're ready to work again." I tried to keep my voice down so I could hear the phone call. Again the Corporal nodded and quietly lumbered away.

I pressed my ear up against the door, hoping to hear the conversation. I wasn't disappointed, although I only heard Regina's side. "Hello this is Regina Mills, I need to speak to either Sydney Glass or my mother, Cora Mills...No, I cannot have them call me back, I need to speak with one of them immediately...Yes, I understand I'm not calling during regular business hours...I'm not an idiot, I used to be the CEO of the company...Fine, I'll try again in six hours." I heard her slam the receiver down in the phone cradle, but I made no move to go inside.

A few seconds later the door swung open. "I'm leaving." She didn't break stride until we were out of HQ and back to our barrack. I followed her inside, not sure if there was anything I could do for her. She tossed the folder and her laptop on her bunk before she began pacing back and forth in the small space. I laid down on my bunk and tried to think happy thoughts. I knew if I watched her, I would get dizzy; so, instead I focused on trying to relax. I thought about Henry and realized how much I missed him. I never really planned to have kids, but Kelly was insistent that we needed at least one to be a _real family_. When Henry came into our lives, things got better between Kelly and me, but the peace didn't last. Looking back now I realize that it was worth going through the pain because, in the end, I have a wonderful son. I pulled his picture out of my helmet and stared at it. I must have been really focused because the next thing I knew, Regina was calling my name...loudly.

"Master Sergeant!" I jerked out of my reverie and looked at the brunette. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Um..." I could feel the heat in my cheeks at getting busted.

"I asked if you wanted to go get some lunch." She said, slightly less exasperated than she was a moment before.

"Oh, sure." I sat up and tied my boots. "You ready?"

We walked towards the main camp area until we found the heavy wooden doors marked_ Mess Hall_. Like HQ, the mess hall was well constructed inside; long wooden tables lined the concrete floors, filled with larger men with hearty appetites. I spied my team sitting at the end of one of the tables, so after Regina and I filled our bowls with stew and grabbed a chunk of bread, I led us over to join them.

"Hey, you made it." Nolan greeted us with a smile as he slid closer to Blanchard. Regina sat next to Graham, who seemed to be inhaling his meal.

"So how're things going?" I asked before I took a bite of the warm stew.

"Quiet, so far." Nolan reported. "Lieutenant French came by the mess hall a few minutes ago with a group of medical staff. She took her lunch with her back to the infirmary. Corporal Hood is around here somewhere." He waved his hand around before he turned to Regina. "How are things going with you?"

Her lip twitched as she answered. "We ran into some complications. Can I ask a…" she paused and glanced around the hall. "…well, a non-politically correct question?" She looked at our group. Nobody spoke, and I realized that they were waiting for me to respond.

"Um, sure?"

Her words were stilted, which seemed odd for her. "Why are the soldiers here…larger…than others we've worked with?"

Graham quickly fielded the question. "This outpost is different than the others. Its purpose is to protect the mountain tribes of the Thazar race from the conflicts in the Frey. Most of the soldiers who are stationed here are descendants of the tribes, so for them it's an honor and moral duty to protect the Thazarians."

I looked at him, impressed with his knowledge. He just shrugged and said, "I was curious, so I asked around."

"Why does it fall to the Republic to protect them? They seem quite capable of holding their own." Regina asked him.

"Well, the Thazar are our allies, but they choose to stay isolated from the Frey since it doesn't concern them directly."

"What good are they as allies if they won't fight?

"They're farmers, mostly, and miners. They provide resources for us."

Blanchard cocked her head. "Why doesn't the Republic just get the Lantth from them and get out of the war?"

"Yeah," I agreed, "I mean, if we could pay them to mine the material, then we could maintain our way of life in the Republic and they could become richer."

"They claim they haven't found any Lantth in their mines." Graham took a bite of his bread.

"Likely story." Regina scowled. "Why would they sell it to us anyways? They have the perfect setup; they get protection from us, get to keep any Lantth that they might have, and get to stay out of the war. If it was known that they did have Lantth, don't you think that the strongest faction in the Frey would come after it? And if the Thazarians aren't trained or disposed to war, then it would be a slaughter. Unless, of course, we were here to protect them; and we wouldn't be very good at that with just an outpost of seventy soldiers without backup from a base like Azor. Then, once the Lantth in their mines has been depleted, we'd be back to fighting in the Frey again to get more Lantth, but this time we wouldn't have an established force in the area or an ally that still had a source of Lantth."

"Wow." My head kinda spun from her quick assessment of the situation.

Regina continued her musings. "The idea of having soldiers of Thazarian descent stationed here to protect their motherland is an excellent way to ensure that the tribes are well protected from outsiders. And, that also explains the size of their soldiers."

"So, why can't your company or RBA design armor for them?" Nolan asked.

She took a long breath and quickly released it. "I don't know. Theoretically there aren't any reasons why we can't engineer armor that would be large enough for them and still withstand the ballistic standards set by the Army. It would take some modifications, of course, but nothing that would be cost or time prohibitive. " She shook her head. "Sorry, I don't mean to bore you with long answers."

"Not a bore at all, Ms. Mills." Graham chimed in. "And may I say how much I do appreciate armor that works like it's supposed to." He gave her a disarming smile.

"Amen to that." Nolan agreed as he raised his glass of water. "Here's to staying alive." All five of us clinked our plastic cups together.

_…_

_Cora Mills was buried under a mound of paperwork that had quickly piled on her desk once Sydney had been given her daughter's job. In a moment of weakness, she admitted that Regina had done a capable job of ensuring that the mundane, day-to-day parts of managing Mills Combat Vestments were taken care of. Sydney Glass was useless when it came to organizing people or paperwork; as such, it fell on her to handle the decisions that he couldn't make. She scowled as she signed off on a piece of paper that determined what brand of coffee the office would stock, and another that was a simple authorization to reorder sixty cases of legal sized manila file folders._

_Things hadn't been so bad, at first, when Regina left for Freylache. Michael, her assistant, was capable of handling the more routine aspects of the office, but Sydney feared that the man's loyalty lay with Regina and not him, so after hearing that Michael had spoken with the disposed COO, Sydney terminated him and promoted Jacqueline Stalker as his new personal assistant. Cora quickly discovered that Jac, as the woman preferred to be called, was more inept than Mr. Glass. Consequently, all decisions for MCV, including what flavor of creamers to stock for the coffee supply, fell to Cora. The beep on her phone interrupted her decision of French vanilla or hazelnut creamers. "What is it Ava?" She asked as she answered the intercom._

_"Mr. Glass is here to see you, he says it's urgent."_

_Cora rolled her eyes. _Sydney always thought things were urgent_, she thought as she checked the box next to Hazelnut and scrawled her signature on the bottom of the order form. "Very well, send him in."_

_As the man walked into her office she nailed him with a withering glare. "What is it now, Sydney?"_

_The man stood across her desk, wringing his hands. "Regina called Michael's, I mean Jac's, extension last night and got the answering service."_

_She could feel another headache coming on as she asked in exasperation. "And?"_

_"She wanted to speak to either you or me immediately." He lowered his voice conspiratorially._

_"And yet, she obviously did neither; what is your point, Mr. Glass?"_

_"She said she would call again during business hours, and I was hoping," he faltered, "that you could take the call rather than me."_

_Cora could see the man was about to wet himself. "That's fine Mr. Glass, in fact it's best if all communication between our company and Regina goes through me from now on."_

_He gave a quasi-bow. "Of course, of course. Thank you, I really appreciate this." He turned to leave._

_"Mr. Glass, before you go, have Ava mail these out for me." She handed him a stack of papers, hoping he would notice that they were all forms that he should have handled himself._

_"Yes, Mrs. Mills." He took the stack without glancing at them._

_As soon as he closed the door she uttered one word. "Idiot."_

….

_Sergeant Gold looked around before he quickly slid the small disk into his jacket pocket. This should be her undoing, he thought giddily as his lip twitched in anticipation of his upcoming meeting with General King. The first check from PPI had arrived in his new bank account, and even Rum was surprised at the large figures that stared back at him when he logged into the account from his home computer. The General had asked him what he planned to do with his 'investment income'. Rum had simply replied, "save it for a rainy day."_

_Tamara sat two work stations away to serve as his lookout. She nodded that he was in the clear before they both returned to their official duties. She had served as a reliable cohort in the scheme to deflect the mounting evidence against the General and Cora Mills' involvement with PPI, and place the blame on Regina Mills. Tamara was fierce, he would give her that, but she was too heavy handed in Rum's opinion. Whereas he had long ago mastered the art of subtlety and covert deal making, she would just as soon use force to get her way. He wasn't surprised when one night she had pulled her gun on a fellow comrade and demanded to see Chief Master Sergeant MP Booth. The man stood his ground until Rum slipped him a fifty dollar bill and immediately was granted access to August._

_The General had also once asked Rum why he was willing to be a turncoat, or as Rum preferred to see it, a businessman in uniform. In response, Rum had tapped his bum leg with his cane and professed that the Army owed him a lot more than what they were paying him in salary. The General laughed and offered him a shot of whiskey, toasting to Rum's loss being his gain._

_The disk in his pocket held the latest phone conversations that Regina had made to Michael, asking him to research PPI. It only took a little bit of manipulation to turn that conversation into one where Regina begged Michael to find and delete all PPI data in order to cover her tracks. It was too easy now that Rum had all of the Intel department's toys and gadgets at his disposal. Even Tamara had been thoroughly convinced that the phone call sounded like Regina was trying to cover her ass and dispose of evidence in the company's data servers. It took all of Rum's willpower to stop himself from patting his pocket to ensure the disk was safely tucked away. He hummed a little jingle as he focused on the new intel report about Mills Combat Vestments; it seemed his work was finally paying off._


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-three**

In hindsight, I should have known that Private Abraham offering to 'take off all his armor' for Regina was said in complete innocence. And, again with hindsight being 20/20, perhaps throwing a punch at the big guy wasn't the smartest course of action. But, he did and I did; which ended up with me, sitting in the infirmary, nursing a swollen lip that hurt like hell.

I winced as Belle pressed the ice pack against my mouth.

"Sorry." She gave me a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure it hurts."

"Yeah." I mumbled. "Like a bitch."

The Lieutenant sat down on a stool next to my cot and dabbed at the cut. "Well, it doesn't look like you'll need stitches, but Doc will be in to check you out."

"Thanks." I grimaced.

"So, what exactly happened Master Sergeant?" Belle cocked her head to the side.

"Just a misunderstanding. I thought Private Abraham was being inappropriate, so I hit him."

Her laughter filled the air. "You seriously took on a giant?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, stupid huh?"

Her laughter stopped and she peered at me. "Not stupid at all, very gentlemanly in fact." She gestured towards my swollen mouth. "I take it he wasn't as impressed with your gallantry?"

"Um, no. Unless slugging me in the jaw was his way of showing it." I rubbed my tender chin, glad that at least my jaw wasn't broken. "Anyways, I still feel like an idiot, so if you can keep this between you and me, I'd really appreciate it."

"Don't want your team to find out you're a scrapper?"

"Well, they already know that, but I'd like to keep at least a little bit of Ms. Mills' respect regarding my leadership." I looked down at my hands, noticing that the knuckles on the left one were bruised.

Belle noticed too. "Let me go get you some ice for your hand, and check on how much longer the Doctor will be."

Once she left, I took a look around the medical facility. It was, of course, located inside a cave. However, it definitely had a sterile feel to it, from the clean linoleum floors to the white curtains that divided the patient rooms.

I was lucky that Graham was the one to find me slugging it out with Abraham; he didn't hesitate to step between us and break things up. I also knew that he would keep his mouth shut about the incident. He simply shook his head and escorted me to the infirmary to find Lieutenant French.

The scrape of the curtain's metal rings being pulled over the iron rod brought me out of my ruminations. "I'm back." Belle announced as she handed me a fresh ice pack. "The doctor will be just a few more minutes." She sat down again and studied my lip. "So how do you plan to keep this from Regina if she saw the actual fight?"

"Oh she didn't see it; she'd gone with Blanchard to find Corporal Anton."

"Ah."

"Yeah, at least I was saved from that embarrassment."

When the doctor entered my make-shift room I had expected to have to look up at him, but instead found that, even sitting, I was looking a bit down. Compared to average sized soldiers, he was short, but at Outpost Carile, he was more like a dwarf. "Master Sergeant Emma Swan, what brings you here today?" One look at my face, and a quick glance at my hand gave him the answer. "Got into a bit of a tussle, I see. Very well, let's take a look."

He peered over his round spectacles as he snapped on a pair of purple latex gloves. "Mhmmm." He focused on my lip. "Well, it's going to be sore for quite awhile, but no stitches. Keep the ice on it for twenty minutes at a time, three to four times a day." He took my hand in his. "Nurse French, let's get an X-ray of this just to be certain there are no fractures."

"Yes, Doctor." Belle immediately replied.

The doctor took his gloves off and threw them in the bin marked "hazardous waste." Running a hand over his trim white beard he nodded at me. "Once the X-ray results are back, I'll come check in with you. In the meantime, keep the ice on your hand." As he walked away I heard him order Belle to give me some neparidone for the pain. My lip and hand thanked him.

An hour later I was back at HQ with an elastic wrap around my hand. Graham pulled me aside before I went into the small office space. "Did ya break it?"

"No, just bruised." I showed him my wrapped wrist.

"Ah, good to hear. At least you can still shoot." He pointed to my uninjured, dominant hand.

I gave a small smile. "Yeah." I paused. "Hey, would you mind just keeping what happened between us? I really don't want to deal with the team razzing me about it."

"Of course, Master Sergeant. Now shall we?" He gestured his hand towards the office door.

Inside, my team were writing down calculations as Regina called them out. She was standing near a table that had armor spread out over it. She reminded me of a tailor, making pencil marks on the armor, with a cloth measuring tape hanging around her neck. She removed the tape and set it between two marks. "Chest inseam of seventy-five inches." She moved the tape over two other marks. "Chest circumference of sixty-five and a half inches."

I quietly stood in the doorway, watching her work as she measured and called out wingspan and bicep circumference measurements. She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear as she punched numbers into a calculator, completely focused on her task. "I see your dad isn't the only engineer in the family." I quipped as I walked into the room.

Her head snapped up and there was confusion in her deep chocolate eyes. It took her a moment to realize what I'd said. "Master Sergeant Swan." She frowned as her eyes focused on my face. "Yes, he taught me a lot about the practical side of the business."

"Good to know you're not just a pretty face." I started to smile, but stopped because of the pain.

She teasingly narrowed her eyes. "And I'm glad to know that you have time to help me out now."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright, what can I do?"

"Since your team is so efficient, we're nearly done here. Perhaps you can manage to find Corporal Anton. If you can do it without hurting yourself, of course."

I immediately touched my lips. "I think I can manage," I said as I felt the heat in my cheeks.

It didn't take me long to find the soldier. "Hey Corporal, Ms. Mills is looking for you."

"Ah, Master Sergeant, I was just coming to find you. Captain Arlo wants a word in his office."

"Thank you Corporal." _And now the shit's going to hit the fan_. I'm sure the Captain didn't appreciate me taking a swing at one of his men. If I could have, I would have dragged my feet walking to the Captain's office. But, as a soldier, that was out of the question. So, I walked with my head held high into his office and stood at attention until he spoke.

"At ease, Master Sergeant Swan." I stood with my feet apart, hands behind my back.

"Oh for pete's sake, just sit down." He shook his head and gestured to the chair beside his desk.

"Yes, Sir." I sat down and waited.

"I understand you got into a scuffle today with Private Abraham."

"Yes, sir. It was a misunderstanding on my part." I met his eyes.

"Well, fighting is something I don't tolerate on the outpost." He warned me.

"Of course not, Sir."

"I expect there will be no more trouble from any of your team while you are visiting Carile." It wasn't a question.

"No, Sir, no trouble at all."

He leaned back in his chair. "Good, because I appreciate Ms. Mills efforts to modify armor to fit us. "In the meantime, go apologize to Private Abraham, and make sure you give him your dessert at dinner tonight. That will go a long ways with him in making things right."

"Of course. Thank you Captain." I waited for further orders.

"That's it, Master Sergeant. Get out here and go help Ms. Mills. The sooner she figures things out, the sooner my men and I will be safer here in the Frey."

I joined Regina and my team just as they were finishing up. Regina's fingers flew over the keypad of the calculator as she mumbled "Extrapolate sixty-eight by..." Her sentence would drift off as she punched in the formula and then jotted it down on the notepad.

I sat with the rest of my team at the table while we waited for her to finish her calculations. I picked up a piece of armor; the bicep protector from what I could tell, though it was much larger than what I was used to. I turned it over and studied the design, trying to understand how it really worked. To my surprise, there was a PPI brand stamp on the inside of the armor. I casually passed the piece to Staff Sergeant Nolan who looked at the label and sat it down. He managed to keep his face fairly neutral, but the raised eyebrow gave away his surprise. I tried to play it cool and act like I was just checking out the armor sizes. Each piece I looked at had a small PPI brand with the skull and scythe icon; Killian Jones's trademark, which meant he was the seller of the armor. I carefully pressed the snap on my jacket and turned on the hidden microphone.

"Regina?"

"Hmmm?" She wrote down another figure before looking at me.

"Looks like he got this from our friend Captain Jones." I showed her the label.

She took the piece of armor from me and studied it closely. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at all the other pieces of armor that laid on the table. "This makes no sense." She answered tightly. "If you'll excuse me, I need to make a phone call."

"Will you be needing my team anymore this afternoon?" I called to her as she opened the door to leave.

"No, we're done."

"Staff Sergeant." I turned and faced Nolan, who was on-duty as Regina's guard. "Stick with her, I need to go do something. I'll catch up with you when I'm done." He swiftly nodded his head and took off to find her.

Once again, I went in search of Corporal Anton. I found him in his small office, typing up a requisition form. "Corporal is there a phone I could use somewhere in private."

"Sure, Master Sergeant. Follow me."

He pulled out his keyring as he led me to a solid door. After unlocking it he turned to me. "The door will automatically lock, so when you're finished, just close it tight behind you."

I waited until I was sure he was gone back to his own office before I looked at my cell phone and got the number I needed. I put the phone back in my pocket and dialed the number on the land line.

"Lieutenant Mulan speaking."

"Lieutenant, this is Master Sergeant Swan calling from Outpost Carile."

"What can I do for you Master Sergeant?"

"Ma'am I'm calling for directions on how to proceed." I filled her in on the lack of suitable armor for the larger soldiers at the outpost, and how neither Mills Vestments nor the other contracted company had developed any for them. I told her how one soldier had a personal set of armor that he bought and that it was from Killian Jones via PPI. I heard the clacking of her keyboard as she searched the PPI website for the armor that Private Abraham had purchased.

"Master Sergeant, I'm not seeing any armor in those sizes."

"Well Jones must have gotten them from there."

"I'll have the intel team here follow up. You just keep your head down and your mic on. I'll see you in three days; hopefully I'll have more information then."

I hung up the phone and debated what more I could do. Once again I fished my cell phone out of my pocket and searched for a number. It rang three times before it was answered. "Intelligence, Sergeant Gold speaking."

"Rum." I felt relief flood my body at the sound of his voice. "It's Master Sergeant Swan."

"Master Sergeant, I thought you were on a tour of some outposts."

"I am." _ Wonder how he knows that_. "I just needed some help with something."

"By all means, how might I help you?" I could hear him typing as we spoke.

"Okay, so you know all about this situation with PPI armor and Killian Jones?"

"Indeed, I am well up to speed on the details."

Once again, I told my story of how there wasn't big enough armor for the soldiers and how one soldier bought armor, which had both PPI and Killian Jones's logo on each piece. I also filled him in on how Lieutenant Mulan had unsuccessfully searched the PPI website. "So, what I don't get Rum is if the two companies that the Army has contracted with to develop armor couldn't or wouldn't make armor for the soldiers, how did PPI and in turn, Killian Jones get some?"

He was silent for a moment before he answered. "My bet is on the money."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the companies would have to incur costs to design and produce this limited-demand item. And, if they created it for the Army, then there would be no additional reimbursement for their costs, it would just be part of the existing contract. So, they develop it and sell it to PPI; for a profit, of course. PPI in turn, resells it to Killian Jones, who then sells it to our rather large sized comrades."

"That does make sense." Once again, I was glad that I was a soldier, not a businesswoman.

"I'll look into this personally Master Sergeant. I'm sure I can figure this out without tipping anyone off."

"Thanks, Sergeant. I appreciate knowing you have my back."

"My pleasure Swan. Oh, and will you give Belle a message for me?"

And now I just felt awkward. "Sure, I can do that."

"You'll need to write it down to get it right."

I searched in the desk and found a pen and a piece of scrap paper. "Go ahead."

"It's a quote from Dominique LaSur." I wrote the name down.

"Got it."

"Everybody wants the truth, but nobody wants to be honest."

"That's it?" I wrote down the words.

"It is. Hopefully she'll understand. Be safe Master Sergeant, the Frey is a dangerous place."

"Thanks Rum, talk to you soon." I hung up the phone and tucked the quote in my jacket pocket. This time I didn't need to look up the phone number; I had it memorized by heart.

It rang three times before the familiar voice came on the line. "Swan residence."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Hey kid, it's your mom."

"Mom! Wow, I didn't expect to hear from you. Is everything okay?" His voice cracked.

"Yeah, I'm fine Henry, I just missed you a whole lot.'

"I miss you, too. Are you at Camp Azor?"

"No, I'm at a combat outpost, but it's really cool because all of the buildings are built into the mountains."

"Like caves?" I could imagine the expression on his face. "Cool!"

"Yeah, I even get to sleep in a cave tonight, but at least I have a bed."

"I remember that time you and I went to those caves and spent all day exploring them. That was awesome."

"Yeah, kid, it was awesome. Hey, I can't talk long because it's costing the Army money. I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you that I love you."

"I love you too mom. Be safe, okay? I'll tell Kelly you called."

"Okay, bye Henry."

"Bye mom." I felt the tears streaming down my cheeks and running over my busted lip, but I made no effort to wipe them away. Sometimes, it just felt good to let things out, so I allowed myself to have a good cry before I regained my composure and dried my face with the fabric of my jacket. I knew my eyes were probably red and swollen, so I left the room, making sure to close the door behind me, and went to the bathroom to find a mirror.

Ten minutes later I was heading towards the mess hall to meet my team relieve Nolan from guard duty. I knew that the Captain had warned us females to make sure we never walked around alone, but I didn't have a choice. _And besides,_ I thought,_ the mess hall wasn't far._

As I walked down past the commissary I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I walked a bit further, but couldn't shake the fear. My breathing became shallow as my reflexes kicked in. I slowed my pace and spun around. Nothing. I twisted my torso, looking for who or what was following me. Finally I spied movement in the shadow of the trees. "Show yourself!" I demanded as I reached for the pistol strapped to my leg. There was no response, so I took off the safety and pointed the weapon towards the trees. "Last warning."

I heard it before I saw it. _Meow_. It took a moment for my brain to process the sound and another second for my body to respond.

"Oh for hell's sake." I said as I put my pistol back in its holster. Soon an orange tabby cat sauntered out of the timber and wrapped its body around my legs. I looked around to make sure it was safe before I leaned over and scratched the cat behind its ears.

"Cowboy." I heard the man's voice call. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty."

"You'd better go cat." I said with one last scratch under his chin, feeling the purr vibrate through his throat. "I've caused enough trouble today. I don't want to be accused of catnapping you." His owner called him again and he scampered away from me.

Just as I reached the mess hall my radio clicked. _"Master Sergeant Swan please respond_."

I recognized Nolan's voice. "Go for Swan."

_"Master Sergeant we have a situation. Meet me at your barracks please_."

"On my way." I ran the path to our lodging. Staff Sergeant Nolan was outside my barracks door waiting for me.

"Sergeant Blanchard is inside with Ms. Mills. Her phone call didn't go well." He explained.

"Thank you, I have the guard." I paused and lowered my voice. "And get me a copy of that phone call," I ordered before I entered the small cave. Blanchard looked up at me from the table. Regina was lying on her bunk with her back turned to us.

I nodded and Blanchard went to leave. I stopped her and handed her the paper from my jacket. "Make sure Lieutenant French gets this at lunch."

"Yes, Master Sergeant." She took the paper from me and walked out the door, leaving Regina and me alone.

I cocked my head, studying the brunette. She had wrapped herself up into a small ball, her knees tucked up, her arms wrapped around them. I gently sat down on the bed and put my hand on her hip. "Regina?"

"I don't want to talk." She whispered.

"Okay, we don't have to talk." I waited a moment longer. "Do you want me to leave you alone?"

She shook her head no, so I sat there just resting my hand on her for support. I felt her body start to tremble as she took short sharp breaths. Her crying was done without making a sound. It reminded me of a foster mom I had that threatened me _'that if she heard me crying she would give me something to cry about._' Even as a seven year old, it didn't take me long to master crying silently. My heart ached for the brunette as the tremors continued to wrack her body.

"Regina, is there anything I can do to help you?"

She just shrugged.

"Would it be okay if I held you?" I remembered another foster mom I had when I was twelve; she had caught me crying, but instead of belittling or punishing me, she came over and wrapped her arms around me. It was weird, thinking that someone actually cared that I was hurting. But within a couple of minutes I felt a lot better. _ Maybe nobody had cared before when Regina cried._ I waited for a response. Finally she gave an imperceptible nod. I laid down next to her on the bunk and gently put my arm under her head until she was cradled next to me. With my other hand, I slowly ran my fingers through her hair. "Whatever happened, it's going to be alright," I assured her. I felt her gradually relax as her breathing evened out and she uncoiled her body. I moved my free hand to her hip and tugged. She responded by scooting back and melding her body into mine.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." Her voice was a ghost of a whisper.

****"It's okay. We'll figure it out together," I promised.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N- As always, Kudos x 10000 to my beta, Elodealeaf!

Also thank you for everyone of you who have stayed with me through this story. To see that you fan/favorite it means the world to me. And thank you x infinity to those who take that extra minute to post a comment to my chapters. It inspires me to know that you truly care what's happening to our heroes! So...here we go again :)

**Chapter Thirty-four**

A sharp rap on the barracks door woke me from my nap. I took a deep breath, reveling in the warmth of Regina tucked so closely to me. Two more sharp raps forced me to roll away from the sleeping brunette and get up to answer the door.

"Yeah?" I cracked open the door and peered outside, temporarily blinded by the brightness.

"Master Sergeant, is everything alright?"

"Hey Sergeant Graham. Yeah, I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?" I rubbed my eyes.

"1600 hours. Sergeant Blanchard will be here shortly to take over the guard; Captain Arlo wants to see you in his office by 1645." He passed me two apples. "I figured you missed lunch," he explained.

"Thank you, Sergeant, I appreciate that. Have Blanchard come inside when she arrives, I'm hoping to let Ms. Mills sleep." As I gave the order, I saw the pixie haired woman walking with Staff Sergeant Nolan towards my barrack. I waited until they were within earshot before I stepped out and firmly closed the door behind me. "What's the report?"

Nolan answered for the group. "Captain Arlo has the transcript from the phone conversation. He wants you to listen to it in his office."

"Any idea what's on it?"

He shook his head. "Not a clue. Want me to come along?"

I normally would have said no, but I figured it was safer if I did have another soldier with me. "Sure. Graham, you stay on guard here while Blanchard guards Ms. Mills from inside. Are Lieutenant French and Corporal Hood back yet?"

"Aye, Master Sergeant." Graham responded. "They arrived about twenty minutes ago; said their work at this outpost was done."

"Okay, good. Keep an eye on them too, I don't want any of us to take unnecessary risks. Sergeant Graham, you have the guard. Sergeant Blanchard, Ms. Mills was sleeping when I came out, hopefully she can get some more rest. You should sleep, too, if you can."

She smiled at me and softly nodded. "Yes, Master Sergeant."

"I don't know how long this is going to take, so if we aren't back by supper, go without us."

"But you skipped lunch." I could hear the concern in Blanchard's voice. "You need to eat something to keep your strength up."

"Yes, mother." I teased. "I'll be sure that Nolan and I make it to the mess hall before they lock the doors." I turned to David. "Let's roll."

Captain Arlo greeted us as we entered his office. "Come in and sit down, both of you." We did as he instructed. "I was just listening to the recording again." He fussed with the tape player. "Let me...ah here we go. Let me start it from the beginning of the call." He reached over and tapped his phone. "Corporal Anton?"

_"Yes Captain?"_

"Make sure we are not disturbed until the meeting is over."

_"Will do, Captain."_

Arlo pressed the button again to turn off the intercom. "Before we get started, help yourself to some water or coffee. There's fruit there too if you are hungry."

"Thank you, Sir." I blushed when my stomach rumbled. I quickly grabbed a bottle of water and one large bunch of grapes. "Ready when you are." I said as I made myself comfortable in the over-sized chair.

"Since I'm not up to speed on anything regarding your situation with Ms. Mills, I'll just sit here while you listen to the tape. Take as long as you need to review everything. However, once you're done this copy will be destroyed."

I felt my eyebrows raise in surprise.

"I don't keep any documents that require security clearance here at the outpost. Too much potential for the information to fall in the wrong hands."

"Could I take this copy with me when we leave?" I needed to make sure this goes to the right people at Camp Azor.

The Captain considered my request, finally shaking his head. "No, I can't deviate from protocol. You'll have to figure out another way to capture the information on the tape."

Well, that makes it a lot harder. An idea came to me. "Can we tape record the recording?"

"You mean make your own recording of it?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Nolan spoke up. "Sir, we have a remote audio storage device in our vehicle. We can make a recording of the tape now and the device will store it for us."

This time the Captain agreed. "That's fine by me if you have the means to do so."

I took a sip of my water. "Sir, I'd like us to listen to it silently the first time so I can get a clean recording of just the call. Then we can turn the microphone off and discuss it."

The Captain nodded. "Alright then, let's get started. The first phone call was when Ms. Mills tried unsuccessfully to contact Mills Combat Vestments. The second call is the conversation with Cora Mills."

I activated the microphone as he pressed the button on the tape player.

_"Hello this is Regina Mills, I need to speak to either Sydney Glass or my mother, Cora Mills."_

_A woman with a thick accent answered. "I'm sorry, Mills Combat Vestments is currently closed. May I take a message and have them return your call during business hours?" _

_"No, I cannot have them call me back, I need to speak with one of them immediately." Regina's tone changed to a low, measured cadence._

_"I'm sorry, but this is the answering service. You will need to call during regular business hours to speak to an employee. You do realize it is currently two in the morning? Our office hours are eight a.m. to five p.m, Monday through Friday. So, you see the office is not open at the moment."_

_"Yes, I understand I'm not calling during regular business hours." _

_"Well perhaps you were confused to think that you could talk to an employee at this hour."_ The lady plowed ahead, continuing to offend Regina.

_"I'm not an idiot, I used to be the COO of the company" Uh oh_, I thought as I heard the growl in Regina's throat.

_"If you say so, Ma'am. But you still need to call between the business hours of eight a.m to five p.m Monday through Friday to speak to an employee."_

_"Fine. I'll try again in six hours._" The line went dead. We waited a few seconds in silence before the tape clicked, indicating a connection, and the second call began.

_"Mills Combat Vestments, how may I direct your call?"_ A pleasant sounding man answered the line.

_"Jefferson, this is Regina Mills. Put me through to Sydney Glass or my mother."_

_"Ah, Ms. Mills, how I've missed your pleasant demeanor in the office." _

_"Save it. Just put me through."_ I remembered now how I thought she was a bitch when I first met her. How things had changed in the short time I'd gotten to know her.

_"Such a shame, really." He bantered. "Hot on the outside, cold as ice on the inside. A bit like the microwave breakfast burrito I had this morning."_

_"Jefferson, I swear if you don't shut the hell up and put me through..."_

_"You'll what? Fire me?" He laughed mockingly. "Oh that's right, you can't. You don't work here anymore. But, since your mother happens to be in her office, I'll put you through so she can deal with you."_

_I heard Regina huffing as she listened to the soft hold music. Finally an older woman's voice came through. "Regina dear, can't you at least try to be pleasant to Jefferson? Now I have to deal with him whining all day."_

_"I'm sorry Mother, I let him goad me into reacting. It won't happen again."_ The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I heard Regina's voice become soft and subservient.

_"I also received a complaint from the answering service company we subcontract with. Apparently you harassed one of their employees last night and made her cry."_

_"I think that's a bit of an overstatement." _

_Cora sighed. "Regardless, I have to issue an apology to them, and you know how I hate to apologize; especially when it's me once again covering for your mistakes."_

_"Thank you, Mother."_

_"I just want you to be successful, Regina. I've worked so hard to get you where you are, I don't understand why you can't understand how important this is to your father and me. And I'm so disappointed, dear. Sydney tells me you called Michael and he informed you that Mr. Glass has replaced you as COO of Mills Combat Vestments."_

_"Why didn't you tell me you were firing me?"_ I could hear the anguish in Regina's voice.

_"Oh my darling daughter, I had such a surprise planned for you when you came home. But now you've ruined it. I guess since the cat is out of the bag, I'll just tell you: you've been promoted to COO of Mills Global Corporation."_

_"I'm what? What company is that?" _

_"It's the holding company for Mills Combat Vestments, among others."_

_"MCV doesn't have a parent company."_

_"Well, perhaps as COO you weren't aware of it, but MGC has been the parent corporation for over three years now. And now you're poised to become the COO of a multi-billion dollar company. We're much more diversified than Mills Combat Vestments. In fact we have over thirty companies under our umbrella, and your legal expertise is going to be a great asset as we continue to grow. When you get home from your little trip, we'll go over all of the details. I'm thrilled you'll be working hand and hand with me, Regina."_

I made notes as I listened to the conversation. I remembered a memo I had received when we returned from Volpure. Something about it niggled at the back of my brain, but I was too focused on the phone call to figure it out just then. _Find memo re: KJ_. I noted on the pad.

_"I don't know what to say, Mother."_

_"Well, a thank you would be in order. Of course you'll get a generous salary, not to mention stock options. You could afford to move out of the loft and to a manor near your father and me. You know he'd love to see you more often. He always has doted on you." _

_"Mother, I appreciate this opportunity, but I need time to consider everything."_

_Cora's voice hardened. "What is there to consider? It's already a done deal. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner, after all you signed the job agreement and had Sydney deliver it to me personally. I think sealing the envelope with tape and initializing it was a bit over the top, but I understand why you did it. If our competitors had gotten their hands on that document, I hate to think of the damage you would have cost us."_

_"I don't recall signing job agreement."_ I heard the panic creeping into Regina's tone.

_"Oh, you were probably exhausted on that long airplane ride." Cora murmured. "And you signed so many forms and requisitions. No wonder you don't remember it."_

Again, I made notes. This time jotting down sealed envelope? on the pad.

_"Can you have Michael e-mail me a copy of the agreement, please?" _

_"Oh, I forget you're out of the loop. Michael is no longer an employee. It appears he was hacking our mainframe, thank goodness Sydney caught him red-handed. He went quietly though, so I don't anticipate any legal action on his part."_

_"Michael's gone?"_ The panic in Regina's voice clicked up a notch.

_"Regina did you not just hear that he was hacking our company's computers?"_ Cora sounded exasperated.

_"Yes, but..."_

_"There is no but here; our company's security is of the utmost importance. I don't know if he was paid by a competitor or just trying to wreak havoc as a personal vendetta, but we can't stand for such disloyalty from anybody."_

_"Of course."_ Regina's voice was resigned.

_"Now, I'm sure you had a reason for this call. You'll have to make it quick though, I have a meeting with one of our subsidiaries in ten minutes."_

_"Ah." Regina paused. "Very well, I'll keep it brief. A commanding officer at the combat outpost I'm at has claimed that MCV refused to answer his requests for appropriate fitting armor for his soldiers. Do you know anything about that?"_

_"No, why would I? __** You**__ were the COO."_ Cora's tone was cool.

_"The reason I ask is that one of the soldiers was able to purchase the armor he needed through Protective Products International. The same company that we had the mix-up with in Volpure."_

_"Okay, then he ordered it through them. I don't see a problem, other than you not responding to their requests while you ran MCV."_

_"Mother, I thoroughly analyzed the soldier's armor. The design is one of MCV's." _

_"Then perhaps you did fulfill their order request and it just didn't meet the Army's standards. If so, then PPI would have been the company to handle the inferior armor. I don't see how this concerns me."_

_"Who owns PPI?"_

_"Regina, now is not the time for this discussion." _

_"Yes, Mother. It is. We have soldiers out here without any armor protection at all. If MCV had produced armor for them, they wouldn't have had to buy it from PPI."_

Now Cora sounded pissed. _"What does it matter where they got it from? The point is they have access to armor that fits them. If they don't choose to buy it, then that's the risk they take. And if PPI happens to be selling armor for a tremendous profit, then good for them."_

_"Mother, I need a straight answer. Do you own or have a vested interest in Protective Products International?"_

_"Do I own them?_ _ No, my darling."_ She paused. "_**We**__ do._"

_"That violates our contract with the Armed Military Forces of the Republic, as well as a multitude of national and international laws. And how could you risk telling me about Mills Global Corporation over the phone? Anybody could be listening in on our conversations." _

I heard Cora's haughty laugh. _"My darling, do you really think I am working alone in this endeavor? George has been providing us the Army's top security programs, some of them are only available to soldiers with very high security clearances." _

_"George as in my Godfather? He's a General in the Army._" Now Regina wasn't the only one panicking. I felt lightheaded; General George King had hand-picked my team for this assignment. I ran my fingers through my hair as my mind whirled at the reasons he might have selected me specifically to protect and escort Regina in the Frey. I felt Nolan's hand on my arm and I looked at him. He looked me in the eyes and nodded before he gave me the hand signal for focus. He was right, I needed to keep my head in the game. I took a deep breath as Cora explained things.

_"It's not just George; he has a whole team of soldiers who works with him." _

_"But why? We risk losing the contract with the Armed Military Forces of the Republic by violating their terms."_

_"Sweetheart, the Army contract was just to get our foot in the door. They gave us the resources we needed to design the best armor in the world. Now that we have PPI up and running, we don't need MCV to have the contract. The profits we make from PPI more than pays for the overhead at MCV."_

_"That's why MCV was operating at a net loss, when we should have been making a profit." _

I quickly scrawled on my pad. _ Rum's disk_. When he and I had met for lunch to discuss the mystery envelope I had received he warned me that there was some sort of shell-game going on. I was regretting being completely honest with Major Morrow. If I hadn't told him about the USB disk Rum had given to me, I would have had the information with me now.

_"Clever girl. Now you see why your law degree is such an asset to us."_

_"Why is George doing this?" _

_"Why do any of us do this? Power, Regina. The money we make by producing armor for both sides of the battlefield potentially give us double profits. Not to mention ensuring that the war continues on indefinitely."_

_"So he has ownership in PPI?"_

_"Of course not, that would be too obvious. His stake is in his wife's name. Though the foolish man continues to deal away his profits. He finally got a soldier from the intelligence department at Fort Brookes to feed him information. For a price of course. But no need to worry, that's on George's dime, not ours." _

I made a note. Is Rum safe? Does he know who the mole is?

_"Mother, I can't be a part of this. It's immoral, not to mention illegal as hell."_ I could hear the strength in Regina's voice. 'Be tough.' I pleaded in my mind.

_"You have no choice, Regina. Join me and reap all the benefits I'm offering you, or refuse and pay the consequences. Do you really think that I would let you just walk away? For months now, I have carefully gathered evidence that will prove me innocent of any knowledge or wrongdoing related to MCV, and places the blame squarely on your shoulders."_

_"Why would you do that?"_ The anguish was back in Regina's voice.

_"I've been willing to overlook so many of your mistakes. The shoddy way you handled the finances for the past three years? The evidence that MCV operated at a loss is documented for all the world to see. This screw-up of three thousand substandard pieces of combat armor placing our dedicated and hard working soldiers lives at risk? I have your signature on the entire paper trail of that snafu. Knowingly dealing with Killian Jones, an enemy of the state? Oh, my dear girl I could write a novel from the evidence I have against you regarding that."_

_"All of those are lies!"_

_"Perhaps, but surely the evidence will convict you of treason. I'll try my hardest to make it look like I tried to stop you; but in the end, you will be the one with the lethal injection in your arm, not me."_

In the pause that followed, I heard Regina's soft crying. _"What did I ever do to you to deserve this?"_

Cora's voice seemed laced with venom. _ "I''ve given you everything. From the time you were just a little girl you have wanted for nothing. I paid for your private schools, your fancy cars, your law degree. Everything you have, you have because of me. And how do you repay my love? By embezzling money from the company."_

_"What?"_ Regina's startled gasp came through the line.

_"That's right my darling. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you were sooo willing to go to Volpure, not to protect the company's assets and reputation, but rather to launder money with the help of Killian Jones. I looked into your claim that he blackmailed you for three million dollars in exchange for returning his ill gotten armor. What percentage were you going to pay him for his part in your scheme? Perhaps you offered him a million of it; a tidy sum for him to pretend to blackmail the company. And how convenient that Volpure is a safe-haven for those who can afford to hide their money in a bank there. I bet you planned to sit on that nest egg for a while and let it grow. All at my expense! I refuse to let you make a laughing stock out of me."_ Cora's voice changed again, this time she sounded almost cheerful. _"So, you have two choices, Regina. You will join me, or I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do."_

_"Mother, you have it all wrong. Master Sergeant Swan knows the truth; KIllian Jones really did blackmail me."_

_"Oh yes, I didn't forget about your precious little team. I have mounting evidence against each of them, too, but particularly Emma Swan. Did you know that she's a lesbian?"_ I could feel the hatred in Cora's voice. _"The Army should have known better than to allow their kind to serve our great nation. Did you also know that she's a convicted felon? Bet she didn't bother to tell you that little tidbit about herself, now did she? No wonder George picked her to lead your protection detail. It won't take much to convince a jury of her peers that she helped you commit treason. It's sad that she'll have to leave her son behind to mourn her death. But at least you can take comfort in knowing you won't die alone."_

_"Please, stop."_ Regina's breathing had become erratic, the pitch in her voice rose, making her sound very young. _"You win. I'll join you."_

_"That's wonderful, darling."_ Cora cooed. _ "I knew you'd come to your sense. I have to run now, I have a meeting. I love you."_

The call ended abruptly and Captain Arlo reached over and turned off the tape player. I felt dazed, but had the sense to turn off my microphone. My mind was reeling over the entire situation. _ What the hell had Regina just done?_

In all my years of serving in the Army, I had seen a thousand acts of bravery. But few compared to the sacrifice Regina Mills had just made to save me. In that moment I knew she took a bullet for me. She had my back, and now it was time for me to have hers.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N- I am so sorry this chapter took so long to write. I hope it was worth the wait.

As always, a heartfelt thanks to my wonderful beta, Elodealeaf, for her all her help. And thanks to all of you who read this chapter, and especially those of you who post comments with your thoughts and feelings about things. You really do help me with your input and ideas. (as well as the mistakes you catch, too) So without further adieu...

**Chapter Thirty-five**

"Wow." Staff Sergeant Nolan succinctly expressed my thoughts in that one word.

"Yeah," I added as I blew out a long breath.

We sat for a moment in stunned silence before Captain Arlo cleared his throat. "Everything said in this room stays in this room. Let's go through the recording again, bit by bit. Normally I wouldn't be involved in a civilian's problem, but this armor business directly affects the well-being of my soldiers. Not to mention that you are here in my outpost." He handed the recorder over to me.

"Right." I hesitantly nodded and accepted the device. I pushed the button and we began. For two hours we dissected every word, every claim and every threat that was made; I was exhausted by the time we finished.

"Captain, is there someplace safe I can keep this?" I showed him my pad filled notations I had jotted down during our meeting. The last thing I needed right now was for Regina to see them.

"I have a safe here in my office." He held out his hand so Nolan and I gave him our notes. "Sergeants, I realize that you are TDY from Azor and you're supposed to head off to Outpost Isler tomorrow," he closed the safe door and spun the combination lock, "but, I'm ordering you to remain at my outpost for forty-eight hours."

"Sir?"

"Master Sergeant there is no safer place for you and your team right now than at this outpost. We aren't involved in combat, there is limited access to the outside world and on my order my men will make your protection a top priority. It's best not to jump into the frying pan while it's red hot. Stay here and let things simmer down."

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate your concern. May I request there be time allotted each day for the females to shower?"

"No problem. I'll have Corporal Anton work with you on that. You'll need these to get back to your barracks." He handed me two pairs of night-vision goggles. "It's already dusk outside. You can return them tomorrow during the daylight."

"Thank you, Sir." I had just stepped through the doorway when he called me back.

"One last thing, Master Sergeant."

"Sir?"

"One way or another Ms. Mills is going to find out that you know about these calls. I'd advise you to consider telling her yourself before she finds out from someone else."

"Yes, Sir." My stomach knotted at the thought of her knowing that we had been spying on her since day one. But the Captain was right, it was best if she heard it directly from me.

The Captain was also right about nightfall coming early at Camp Carile; the forest canopy, combined with the peaks of the Riendahl Mountains to our west, gave us a premature sunset that turned into a deep dusk. All exterior lights were turned off at 2000 hours, just as Nolan and I were halfway back to our barracks. I pulled the night vision goggles over my eyes and turned the power on. The outlines of trees, buildings and other soldiers were suddenly illuminated in bright green. I looked over at Nolan who gave me a thumbs up. I returned the gesture and we continued walking towards our housing units.

The small light on the desk casted faint shadows throughout the barracks. I quietly opened the door and peered inside to find Blanchard sitting on a chair next to the door and Regina asleep in bed. I gestured for Blanchard to come outside so that we could talk.

"How'd the afternoon go?"

"Quiet. Ms. Mills pretty much just slept or wrote in her notebook the whole time you were gone."

"Thank you, Blanchard. I have the guard. Tell Nolan and Graham to meet us out here in ten minutes." I paused to consider. "You better ask the Lieutenant and Corporal to join us, too."

"Of course, Master Sergeant. I'll see you in ten." I went back inside and firmly closed the door behind me.

"Regina?" I padded over to her bunk to check if she was awake.

She slowly rolled over and faced me.

"How are you?" I asked softly as I sat at the foot of her bed.

"I've been better." She answered blandly.

"Do you want to talk about things?"

"There's really nothing to talk about."

"It might make you feel better." I gently put my hand on her leg.

"Right now it's best if I feel nothing at all."

"Well, if you do want to talk, I'm more than willing to listen."

"I know." She answered softly. The knock on the door spared us from the conversational impasse.

I opened the door to see Lieutenant French standing outside. "Master Sergeant, do you have a moment?"

I turned back to Regina. "I need to meet with the team, would you like to join us or do you want me to fill you in when I get back?"

She stood and straightened her BDU jacket. "I'll join you."

I turned back to Belle who whispered softly. "I need to meet with you alone, Swan."

"Can it wait till after the meeting?"

"If it must." She nodded and I was grateful that she didn't order me to meet with her beforehand.

"Thank you, Ma'am." I responded as Regina joined me at the door and we stepped outside where my whole team was waiting.

"Wow, it's really dark out here." Ruby commented.

Nolan looked at her through his goggles. "Anton told me the lights go out at 2000 to help the base stay hidden."

"Ohhh, that makes sense." Ruby replied.

I cut off their chatter so I could have their attention. "Okay, I'll make this quick. Captain Arlo wants Ms. Mills to figure out a solution to their armor situation, so he's ordered us to remain at the outpost for forty-eight hours. I'll work with Corporal Anton to figure out a shower schedule for us females. Lieutenant and Corporal, just fill me in on your plans tomorrow morning. As for my team, take some R&R while we're here. I'll retain main guard duty for Ms. Mills. I'll only pull you guys back on-duty if I need backup. The Captain assured me that we will be safe at the outpost; he is informing all of his soldiers that our safety is their priority. Still, I recommend making sure you travel with another soldier if you are walking around camp. Any questions?"

None were forthcoming so I finished up. "Stay safe tonight, lock your doors and sleep well. Nolan and Graham sleep with your radios close-by in case we need you."

"Yes, Master Sergeant." They answered in sync.

"Blanchard, stay with Ms. Mills for a bit. I have something to attend to. You're all dismissed." Everyone went inside except for the Lieutenant and Corporal Hood.

"Lieutenant?" I waited for her to speak.

"First off, Master Sergeant I want to apologize. It was really stupid and there's no excuse for what happened."

I cocked my head. "Why don't you start with what happened."

"Right. Well, as you know, Ruby and I had time off this afternoon. And since Sergeant Blanchard was with Ms. Mills, that left us alone for a few hours in our barracks. So we, um, took advantage of it and one thing led to another. Pretty soon we were naked."

"Whoa." I held up my hand in the darkness. "Just, stop. I've got the idea. How exactly does this affect me?"

"Well, we were using our jackets for padding and I think..." She slowly confessed. "That we might have accidentally activated the microphone thing."

"The mic on your jacket? I didn't know yours had one."

"Well, mine was retrofitted before we left, but I totally forgot about it until we were getting dressed and I went to button my sleeve."

Shit. "What time was this?"

"About 1600 hours or so."

I felt my anxiety bubble to the surface. Right about the time we were recording Regina's phone call. I could only hope that the recording device caught the phone call rather than the Lieutenant and the Corporal screwing around.

"I just worry because the Army frowns on fraternization between officers and enlisted. That and the fact that people at Camp Azor will hear the recording." She covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, it's just so embarrassing to think of that."

"Well there's nothing we can do about it tonight. We'll figure it out tomorrow, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Master Sergeant. I didn't mean to be a bother."

"Just sleep well Lieutenant. And don't lay on your jacket anymore, okay?" I tried to sound reassuring, despite my anxiety.

"Thank you." Corporal Hood added. "We're really sorry." She at least had the decency to sound apologetic.

"Yeah, we'll figure it out. Good night." I turned and went back inside my barrack.

Once inside I tried to relax on my bunk, but my nerves were getting the best of me. I really needed to talk to Regina about the phone calls and to explain my side of things. But, Regina was at the small table, sketching in her notepad, so I gave her some privacy and went about my business. I pulled off my uniform and changed into a basic t-shirt and Army regulation shorts. I sat on my bunk and pulled my jacket into my lap. I fussed for a few minutes with the button on sleeve, before I steeled my nerves and looked up at the businesswoman.

"Regina?" I called softly to her.

"Hmmm?" She answered distractedly.

"Do you have a few minutes to talk?" I could feel the tension grow in my shoulders and neck.

She sighed and closed her book. Her tight smile told me she wasn't happy.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." I licked my split lip. "But it's important."

"As is my work, Emma. But now that you have my undivided attention, please proceed."

"Nevermind, it can wait until morning." I decided it was best to not poke her..

"Very well. I hope you can sleep with the light on. I might be up for a while." She reopened her notepad.

"No, that's fine." I laid down in my bunk. I was surprised how difficult it was to fall asleep without her in my arms, but my body was tired and I finally felt the tendrils of sleep reaching out and pulling me in.

The next morning when I awoke, Regina was dressed and sitting at the table sketching in her notepad.

"Good morning." I stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "How'd you sleep?"

She shrugged. "Fine."

I looked at my watch. "It's only 0500. What time did you go to bed?"

""Why are you interrogating me?" She hissed, causing my sleep-addled brain to snap to attention.

"Wait...what?" I sat up, keeping my blankets wrapped around me to ward off the chill.. "Regina, I'm just trying to be nice." God, I needed caffeine if I was going to match wits with her.

She stared hard at me, her arms wrapped around her torso. "Fine, if you must know I haven't slept yet. Modifying this armor design is more difficult that I thought it would be." She slumped, her body admitting defeat.

"Regina." I moved over on my bunk and patted the empty space next to me. "Come to bed."

She looked like she was about to throw a tantrum that a two year old would be proud of. But I was a mother as well as a soldier, so I nipped it in the bud. "Sweetie, you're tired, I'm tired, and the bed is really, really warm. Come on, I'll even scratch your back. Please?"

Her tired, dark eyes wavered and she looked over at my bunk. "Fine." She huffed as she pulled off her boots. "But only because you said please."

_I'll take my victories wherever I can get them._ She sat down on the edge of the bed, close enough that I could reach out and softly scratch her back. At first she tensed at the touch, but she quickly relaxed. "My father used to do that." She leaned back a bit so I could scratch higher.

"Do what?"

"Scratch my back." She twisted her shoulder towards me. "Scratch right there." I did, earning a purr from the brunette. "Nobody's done this for me in years."

"If you lay down on your stomach I'll scratch till you fall asleep." I offered.

"Just ten more seconds." She pleaded. I gave a final few circles on her lower back and she smiled at me. "I'd rather fall asleep against you if you don't mind."

We slept like that, my body curled against hers, for three hours. I awoke first, enjoying the peaceful look on her face as her chest rose and fell with her rhythmic breathing. I was warm, comfortable and still tired, but my growling stomach finally won out, forcing me to get up.

"Nooooo." Regina protested as I slid away from her.

"I'll be back in a little while with coffee and breakfast. You still need to sleep some more."

The sound of her light snoring was her only answer. I quietly snuck out of the barracks to find Blanchard and Nolan sitting outside on a bench, sipping their coffee and enjoying the morning sunshine. "Hey, would you mind just keeping an eye on things for twenty minutes? Regina's asleep, so I'm gonna go grab some breakfast and deal with something."

"Not a problem, Master Sergeant." Nolan assured me.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." I said before I took off at a slow jog to get my blood pumping. First stop was HQ, where I found Corporal Anton at his desk eating breakfast. "Hey Corporal, is Captain Arlo in? I have a problem that I'm hoping he can help me with."

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and nodded. "He's in his office, go on back."

I knocked tentatively at the closed door, hoping I wasn't disturbing the Captain. "Come." I heard his booming voice from inside, so I opened the door and waited for his invitation to enter.

He waved me in. "What can I do for you Master Sergeant?"

"Sir, I believe that there may have been a problem recording Ms. Mills' phone call transcript last night. I was hoping someone could pull the device out of the jeep and listen to it."

"Give me a second." He said before he punched in three numbers on his telephone. "Specialist Kaze, would you come join me in my office? Thank you." He hung up the receiver. "If anyone can help you out, it will be Kaze. Oh, and no cracks about her uniform."

We waited just a few seconds before the Specialist appeared in the doorway. "Captain, Master Sergeant." I was surprised to see the soldier was in an Air Force uniform. A dozen jokes came to mind, but I wisely held my tongue. There was a rivalry between all the different branches of the military, mostly friendly, but some were serious. Fortunately the Air Force and the Army was of the friendly type.

"Specialist Kaze, see what you can do to help Master Sergeant Swan with her electronic situation."

"Yes, Sir. Master Sergeant, what's up?" The Specialist sat down in the chair next to mine.

I told her about the situation with Lieutenant French and Corporal Hood. I didn't go into details; I just explained that the Lieutenant may have inadvertently activated her microphone about the same time that we were recording an important phone call.

The Captain dismissed us so he could finish up his pile of paperwork, so Kaze and I headed out to the Jeep. She located the recorder and inspected it. "Sorry Master Sergeant, there's no way to get it out of the Jeep without guys at Intel figuring it out." She covered it back up and closed the door. "Best I can do is get you access and let you listen to what's on the tape. You'll have to do it yourself though, I don't have the security clearance to listen to it."

"Can we erase something if it's, um, inappropriate?"

"I'm not sure. Hopefully it didn't record over what you needed. And maybe we'll get lucky and it will just sound like garble and static. It's going to take me awhile to get to it though."

I appreciated her optimism, even if I didn't share it. The way my luck was running, Belle and Ruby's dalliance would be crystal clear for everyone to hear. "Thanks, Kaze. Let me know when you've got something?"

"Will do, Master Sergeant." She nodded. "Enjoy your morning."

"You too." I smiled. My next stop was the Mess Hall. Thankfully it was still open and serving breakfast. I piled one tray with scrambled eggs, toast and bacon, as well as two mugs of coffee and carried it back to my barracks. "Morning, Regina; I've got coffee." I saw the pile of blankets move in the bunk.

She sat at the table and cleared the froggy from her throat. "Good morning, Emma. Thank you for this." She raised her mug of coffee. I split the food in half pushed her plate in front of her.

"You're welcome." We ate in comfortable silence.

"So, what's the plan today?" She asked, using her toast to scrape the last bit of egg onto her fork.

"I gave the team a day off, so it's just you and me."

"Okay, I'd like to do further work on the armor design and send some calculations to MCV to have the engineers analyze my data." She sipped her coffee.

"Well the design part should be no problem, but I'm afraid we're on communication lock-down." I grimaced, waiting for her response.

"What exactly does that mean?" She tilted her head and peered at me.

"It means we are no longer authorized to contact anyone outside of the compound."

"Master Sergeant," her eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?"

"First off, before I say anything else, I need you to know that I am completely on your side." I steepled my hands against my lips. She nodded, so I _Armied up_ and continued. "Okay, I'm going to come completely clean with you, but you have to promise to just hear me out." I pleaded as she folded her arms across her torso.

I sighed, knowing she wasn't going to take the news well. I tried to give her a smile, but I failed.

"I'm listening." She replied tersely.

"I know about the phone call between you and your mother."

"You what?" Her expression was a mix of anger and confusion.

"The phone call. She coerced you into agreeing to become the COO of Mills Global Corporation. You didn't have to do that."

"I can't believe you violated my privacy. That was a private business call." She spat.

"Regina..."

"No! Not Regina. It's Ms. Mills to you, Master Sergeant. I thought I could trust you." She shook her head.

"You can. That's what I'm trying to tell you. That envelope that you sealed and told Sydney to give to your mother? He opened it while he was still on the plane. I saw it myself." I tried to get past her angry wall. "Your mom threatened to send you to prison, Regina. Prison! Or worse, she was going to let you be hanged for treason against the Republic. Do you really think you can trust her more than you can trust me?"

"I don't think I can trust anybody, Master Sergeant. Not anymore. I want to leave today and return to the Republic as soon as possible."

"We're under forty-eight hour lockdown."

"Then I'll call General King and he will override the Captain's orders."

"Seriously?" I threw up my hands. "He's one of the bad guys. He makes a profit on dead soldiers bodies!"

"And so do I, apparently. I guess I'm one of the bad guys, too." The vein in her forehead was pulsing.

"But he's sworn an oath to protect the Republic. You can't trust him." I pleaded for her to see reason as she turned her back to me. "This is the safest place right now for all of us. I'll show you all the notes I've made about the phone call. So will Staff Sergeant Nolan."

She spun around. "He knows about it, too?"

Fuck. I ran my hands through my hair. "Ms. Mills, we're on your side. We know you're innocent. You didn't embezzle from your company, or approve sub standard armor for the troops. Your mother screwed up and sent you here to clean up the mess."

"I know that!" She yelled, stepping closer to me. I was really, really glad that I didn't have my gun anywhere nearby because I think, at that moment, she wouldn't have given a second thought about using it on me.

"We know that, too. We're on your side; all of us."

"You keep adding more and more people into this equation. Who is 'all of us'?"

"Reg...Ms. Mills." I corrected myself. "You have a very large group of soldiers who are dedicated to finding out the truth and defending your innocence."

"You know nothing about my life."

"Perhaps, but we know everything about your mother's businesses."

"From one phone call?" She said incredulously. "I hardly think so. You know nothing, Master Sergeant, including what my mother is capable of."

"Ms. Mills, you know that my primary mission has been to protect and escort you here in the Frey, right?" She tersely nodded. "But what I haven't told you is that I was ordered to complete a secondary mission. I was ordered to record any conversations we had about MIlls Combat Vestments or PPI." I tripped over my words, trying to get them quickly out of my mouth.

I saw the quiver in her upper lip before she stood up and slammed her palms on the table. "You've been spying on me?" She yelled.

A thousand words came to mind, but I could only utter one. "Yes." I winced.

"For how long?" Now her voice was quieter, but her tone was flat and measured.

"I was given the orders at Fort Brookes. Intelligence teams there and at Camp Azor have been working hard to bring the guilty to justice." I reached out and touched her arm. "But my entire team will testify on your behalf."

She immediately pulled away. "Leave me alone."

"I'm under orders." I tried to explain.

"And your precious orders come first, of course."

"They have to; I'm a soldier."

"And I'm a businesswoman." She stated firmly. "So we each have to do things we don't want."

"But I'm willing to die for my cause. Are you?"

Her expression remained hardened, but tears glistened in her eyes. "Master Sergeant, any way this scenario plays out, I die." She shrugged. "At least let me protect you from my mother."

"No, there has to be another way." I pleaded.

"I'm not strong enough to fight her, Emma. Please don't let my sacrifice be in vain." The tears streamed down her cheeks. I reached out to wipe them away.

"Then we'll fight her together." I promised as I stepped forward, closing the gap between us. Leaning down, I placed a kiss on her forehead, and then her cheek. She turned her head slightly and I felt the softness of her lips meet mine.

"I'm still mad at you." She whispered as her mouth claimed mine in a searing kiss.

"I know." I said, pulling her lithe body tightly against mine. She kissed me again hard, bruising my lips with her fierceness. I felt a fire tear through my body as every nerve, every sensation responded to her touch. I wanted to stay there forever; to revel in her touch. But just as I relaxed into her embrace the radio crackled to life as Corporal Anton's voice filled the airwaves.

"Outpost Isler has been assigned defcon level Delta. Attack on the outpost is imminent. All soldiers report to their battle stations. This is not a drill, repeat this is not a drill." I pulled away from Regina, torn by my soldier instincts as Anton repeated his announcement.

"I have to go." I quickly dressed in my BDU's and full combat armor. I unstrapped my gun holster and handed the weapon to Regina. "You need to stay here; I'll send Ruby to guard you."

"Wait." Her eyes were panic-stricken. "You're leaving me?"

"I have to; I can help out there a lot more than I can in here." I grabbed my helmet and my rifle.

"Emma, wait." She pulled me into a tight hug. I was just pulling away when the first blast hit, rocking the earth and showering rock chunks inside our cave. Instinctively I threw my body on top of Regina, protecting her small frame from the shrapnel. We stayed there until the debris stopped falling, leaving a haze of dust in the barrack.

"Are you okay?" I yelled a little too loudly as I rolled off of her and inspected the damage to the room.

"I think so." She met my eyes. "I want to go with you."

"You're safer here." I insisted.

"So are you."

""Hide under your bunk or the table for protection. Someone is attacking this outpost and I have a duty to protect it."

She pulled me back for a long kiss. "Then you damn well better make sure you come back to me, Emma Swan."

"I promise." I pulled away for the last time and got to my feet. "You stay safe, I..." Wasn't quite ready to say the L word, so I settled for, "...care about you." And with one final look, I turned and ran out the door.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N- As always, a big thank you to Elodealeaf, my wonderful beta reader!

I apologize for the delay in this update. I was on a cruise in the Western Caribbean with no computer...so it took me a little longer to get this out to you. Thank you for your patience and I hope the wait was worth it! Thanks for reading my story and a huge thank you to everyone who takes a moment just to post a comment to tell me how you feel and what you think. RB

**Chapter Thirty-six**

_**Four hours prior:**_

_"General King, we have a problem." MP August Booth stood in the conference room doorway._

_"If you'll excuse me." The General dismissed the roomful of officers who were gathered around the meeting room table. He waited until they left before he turned and warned the soldier. "This had better be damn important." His temper flared at Booth's impetuous behavior in front of the group of officers._

_"Sir, I wouldn't have come to you if it wasn't. Cora Mills has spoken to her daughter on the phone."_

_"Her relationship with Regina doesn't concern me, Chief Master Sergeant."_

_As he spoke, Sergeant Gold and Chief Mendall walked into the room, holding a small micro tape player. "Actually, Sir, Chief Master Sergeant Booth is right." Sergeant Gold intoned. "You'll want to hear this for yourself."_

_Tamara jumped in. "The Intelligence Division has cracked the encryption program that Cora Mills had been using. Fortunately, Sergeant Gold and I were the ones on duty when it came through, so we intercepted it and scrambled it with a higher encryption value."_

_"I saved one copy for you to listen to; I wouldn't expect you to just take our word for it." He said, casting a sidelong glance at the Chief. _

_She caught it and scowled, but said nothing._

_"That's why I insisted on bringing you a copy to hear for yourself." Sergeant Gold handed the General the machine. "What would you like us to do, Sir?"_

_He eyed all of them before making a decision. "Let me listen to the tape first, then I'll decide. Booth, you're with me." _

_"Yes, Sir." Tamara nodded sharply._

_"Perhaps we should give them some space." Rum suggested._

_"Thank you, Sergeant. If you'll just wait outside the door."_

_"Of course, Sir." Rum answered as he stepped towards the doorway. "Chief?" He hinted at Tamara._

_She looked between the men once more before nodding and heading outside. Once they were in the hallway she turned on Rum. "What the hell was that about, Sergeant?"_

_He smirked. "I'd say the General appreciated my idea that we bring him a copy to listen to; despite your seeming mistrust, perhaps you might learn a few lessons from me. If you're ever going to be anything more than a foot soldier in the General's cause, you need to learn to take initiative and show him that you can think for yourself."_

_"I do as I'm told. That's what makes me a valuable soldier to him."_

_"If you're satisfied with just being another pawn in the game, then well done; you've achieved your goal. But!" He struck one finger in the air. "If you want to be respected by the General, you would do well to start making some suggestions to help the cause along."_

_She eyed him warily. "And you think you've made an impression on him?"_

_"Indeed, I have. Let's just say I've managed to work a little side-deal with the big guy." _

_"All of us who work for the cause get their fair share of the Lantth we recover." She replied unimpressed._

_"I assure you that my dealings include more than just the Lantth." He gave her a cold smile._

_She was about to respond when the door swung open and the General beckoned them inside. "Thank you, both, for bringing this to my attention. It's time we move forward before more damage can be done. Chief Master Sergeant Booth, assemble the team." He turned to the intelligence soldiers. "I'd like you both to stay."_

_"Yes, General King." Rum smoothly replied. "Is there anything we can do in the meantime? Perhaps bring you some supplies or a beverage?"_

_The General nodded. "Good idea. Chief Mandell, we'll need a couple pitchers of water and a tray of glasses. You can ask Corporal Yarelle where he keeps them." He turned to Rum. "Why don't you and I have a chat before the others arrive." _

_Tamara's face hardened, but she gave the General a nod and walked away to fulfill his request. The men waited until she was out of earshot before talking._

_"It appears Cora Mills is no longer to be trusted." The General stated flatly._

_"Which doesn't bode well for PPI's profits nor for your reputation, Sir. I do hope you have a contingency plan in place." _

_"Sergeant, I always have a backup plan." The older man snapped. "But I need some information before I can make an informed decision. Sergeant, I need to know the location of Regina Mills and Master Sergeant Emma Swan's team. That's your task right now; once you know where they are, report back to me immediately."_

_"Of course, General. It shouldn't take too long to track them down. I'll be back as soon as possible." _

_True to his word he was back in fifteen minutes with his report. He walked into the conference room and found the General alone. "Sir, I can narrow their location down to two possible spots. They are either at Combat Outpost Carile or Isler."_

_The General pursed his lips. "That'll work. We have a small team in place at Isler, but communication between them and us is only one-way. They can start there and work south to Carile and then to Kelling."_

_"The team must be very good because I was stationed at Isler on my last tour and I never suspected any subterfuge from my fellow soldiers."_

_"Lieutenant Mendall's team has been in place for only five months."_

_"Any relation to Tamara?"_

_"Yes, Greg is her husband. They're both hardcore about the cause." The General's eyes sparked._

_"If you don't mind me asking, Sir, what exactly do you plan to have them do?" _

_"Kidnap Regina Mills; she's the only leverage we have against Cora. Once we have her daughter, we can convince Cora to keep her mouth shut." The General spat the woman's name._

_"So kidnapping Ms. Mills is the only objective? I assure you that Master Sergeant Swan's team won't make that an easy task. I know Emma Swan and she'll put up one hell of a fight, General."_

_"She can't be everywhere at once, Sergeant. The plan entails destroying the three outposts. Killian Jones already has Volpurian soldiers imbedded in some of the local warlord's armies. They'll assist to make it look like the attacks are coming from two opposing factions in the Frey. It will be swift, merciless and leave no witnesses behind."_

_"Do we have enough manpower to pull off a coordinated attack of all three outposts at once?" Rum voiced his concern just before three team members entered the conference room for the briefing. Tamara followed behind the trio, with a tray of snacks and a pitcher of water in her hands._

_"No, but we have no other choice." The General conceded._

_"Sir, if you give me a heads up right before you trigger the attack, I could jam the airwaves and make communication between the outposts impossible. Then the element of surprise will be on our side since Isler won't be able to relay a message that they're under attack."_

_"You can do that from here?" _

_"Absolutely. But I'll need a bit of time to set it up without raising Major Morrow's suspicion." Rum nodded._

_"That could be the lynchpin to ensure our total success. An excellent suggestion Sergeant. How much time do you need?"_

_"Thirty minutes should suffice." Gold estimated as the General's team trickled into the conference room. _

_"I can't give you a minute more. The attack needs to happen asap, and once I give the order, it's our of our hands." _

_"Thirty minutes and I'll be ready. Just call me right before you issue the orders."_

_"Get going, Sergeant; the clock is ticking."_

_The General walked over to the table and softly greeted Tamara Mendell. "Specialist, once Sergeant Gold has jammed the frequencies, eliminate him. We'll only need the core team alive once the attack is over."_

_"Of course, Sir." She handed him a glass of ice water. "My pleasure."_

_Sergeant Paul Gold walked into the intelligence division building, his mind reeling from the implications of the planned attacks. He was met in the hallway by Major Vic Morrow, head of the Intelligence Division. The Major subtly tilted his head before going into his office. Sergeant Gold looked around to ensure he wasn't seen before he followed the Major into the office and closed the door._

_"I trust you heard the entire conversation, Sir." Rum pulled a wooden chair closer to the Major's desk and sat on it. _

_"Every word, Sergeant. Well done."_

_"So now we warn the outposts?"_

_"Unfortunately we have to wait for the General to actually call you and say he is giving the order. We can record his conversation with Lieutenant Mendell, but we can't risk tipping off his team that the Army knows about the planned attacks."_

_"Doesn't that put the soldiers at Outpost Isler at risk?" _

_"It's the lesser of two evils, Sergeant. Once he orders the attacks, we'll have enough evidence to arrest him. I know it's hard, especially with your team out there, but we can't jump the gun on this one." _

_Gold grimaced. "At least they're safe at Outpost Carile. They'll have time to prepare in case the General's team makes it that far south."_

_Major Morrow checked the clock. "Time to man your post, Sergeant. You've done one hell of a job infiltrating the General's inner circle."_

_"Sir, I'm just glad the ruse will be over soon. Though the tidy sum from PPI in the bogus checking account will be hard to let go." He gave a mirthless smile. "Let's just bring all these bastards down before they do any more damage." _

_Rum sat at his station, counting down the minutes as he waited for the General's phone call. He fiddled with the controls to ensure that the General would be convinced that the channels were truly blocked. The phone finally rang, startling him with the loud tone. "Intelligence Division, Sergeant Gold speaking."_

_"Is this line secured?" Rum recognized the base commander's voice._

_"Yes." Sergeant Gold lowered his voice to answer._

_"Change of plans Sergeant. We've received word that Mendall's team is enroute to Outpost Carile for a supply exchange. We'll delay until they arrive there, and then I'll give the orders."_

_"Of course, Sir. I'll be ready."_

_"Sit tight, it might be a couple of hours."_

_"I'm here as long as it takes." He assured the General._

_"I'll call when it's time." The General said before he hung up the phone._

_Rum tapped his fingers on his desk as he dialed the phone number that was saved in his cell phone. It rang three times before the woman's voice answered it. "Hello."_

_"Kelly, it's Sergeant Gold." He stilled his hand. "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am to hear that your Aunt Rose has fallen ill."_

_There was a pause as the woman processed the coded sentence. "Thank you, Paul. Yes, Henry and I were planning on leaving to go visit her. Will you let Emma know that I won't be in cell phone range until I return."_

_"Of course, of course. Have a safe drive."_

...

"Get in the car, Henry. We have to leave." Kelly frantically opened the safe from beneath her bed and pulled out a key and a bundle of cash she had been saving.

Her son walked into the room and cocked his head. "Why mom, what's going on?"

She stood and gently grabbed his shoulders. "We have to leave right now. I'll answer all your questions in the car. Just grab your sweatshirt and meet me at the door, but don't go outside." She let him go and walked over to the closet. Using the key, Kelly unlocked the gun safe and pulled out two Glock handguns and three boxes of ammunition. She closed and locked the safe before throwing the weapons in a small duffle bag and rushing to the door. "Henry, just act like you normally do." She instructed as she handed him his backpack and his baseball glove and bat. "Pretend we're going to ball practice." She said as she noticed his confused expression.

She locked the front door, willing her hands to stop shaking. Once they were in the car and on the main road in the Base, she took a deep breath. "Okay, Henry, that call was to tell me that we might be in danger, so we have to leave the base for a little while." Kelly hoped her voice sounded calmer than she felt.

"Is Emma alright?" His forehead furrowed.

"I hope so, baby. But she'll be a lot more alright once she knows we're safe." They pulled up to the Base exit gate. "I have to let some other people know so they can be prepared, too." She smiled at the soldier on duty as he waved her on.

"Like who?" Henry asked as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse.

"The families of the rest of Emma's team." She dialed the first number. "Hello Mr. Nolan? This is Kelly Swan, Emma's ex-wife. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am that your Aunt Rose is ill...Of course, yes, I'm sure you're quite upset, too...well if there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to call...Okay, you take care of yourselves, too, goodbye."

"How did you know their Aunt Rose is sick?" Henry peered at his mom.

"It's the code phrase that Mom Emma's team uses to let their families know that we might be in danger, sweetie." She gave him a tight smile as she next dialed Sergeant Graham's uncle and then Sergeant Blanchard's father. Once she was finished she turned her cell phone off, tossed her GPS unit out the window and turned south to head to the destination she and Emma had designed in case this situation ever happened.

"What about food and clothes and stuff?" Henry looked in his backpack and pulled out two small packages of beef jerky and an apple.

"Everything's already in the trunk; we have everything we need to get where we're going." She scruffed her son's hair. "I promise we're going to be fine."

"But what about Emma?"

"Just say a prayer for her, that's the best we can do right now."

...

_Sergeant Gold once again looked around; this time he spied Specialist Mendell walking in the main doorway. He acknowledged her with a nod before opening a file on his desk and pretended to study it. He waited for her to put on her headphones before he carried the folder to Major Morrow's office. The Major greeted him at the doorway, hoping to belay any suspicion that Tamara might have about Rum._

_"Sergeant, do you have that report I asked for?" He gestured to the folder._

_"Ah, yes, but I have a couple questions about the data." Rum opened the file and pointed to a blank piece of paper. "How would you interpret this?" Gold asked, pointing to another spot on the paper. Neither man looked at Specialist Mendell, but both could feel her watching them._

_"Sergeant, I'll have to look into this and get back to you. I don't know how long it'll take to get you the information you need to complete your report. It might be an hour or more."_

_"No hurry, Sir. I'll stay late tonight if that's alright with you. I'd really like to wrap this up before tomorrow."_

_"Of course. I appreciate your dedication to your job, soldier." He clasped Rum on the shoulder. "Stay as late as you need to."_

_Rum subtly gave Tamara a thumbs-up as he returned to his desk. He spent the next two hours working on his bogus report data as he waited for the call. It was the longest two hours that he could remember. His team was about to be attacked and he had no way to let them know. Tamara was also working late, in part, he was sure to be there when the order was given. He turned his chair around and got her attention. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry your husband has to be on the front line in this."_

_"We've always been willing to die for our cause." She insisted._

_"Even so, I'm sure it's not easy to know that he's out there." _

_"The only regret is that I'm not by his side when he goes to battle." Her eyes took on a glassy stare._

_Rum tried another tactic, hoping to deescalate the situation. "At least it will be over soon."_

_"You just make sure to do your job when the time comes, Sergeant." _

_"Have no doubt, Specialist. I will." His lips formed a thin smile. "You just make sure you have my back." He heard the unmistakable sound of a pistol slide being pulled._

_"I'll have your back, or your head. It all depends on you." She warned just as the phone rang._

_"Gold here."_

_"It's a go." The General stated._

_Rum pushed a button. "Signal is scrambled, Sir. You're good to go." His eyes never left Tamara's as he hung up the phone. "It's time." _

_"Drop the gun, Specialist." Tamara heard the Major's voice as she felt the metal of his gun against her skull. _

_"Go fuck yourself." She spat as she turned around and raised her weapon towards Sergeant Gold. She never had the chance to make the shot as her lifeless body dropped to the ground. _

_"Get on the phone and make those phone calls, Sergeant." The Major ordered as he picked up the receiver at an adjacent desk and called the security department. "This is Major Vic Morrow, security code A463B722, ordering base status increased to Defcon Charlie+. Close the gates, no traffic in or out, and that includes General King." Immediately the announcement went out basewide._

_Morrow's next call was to the Commander of Security. "Colonel Anderson, Operation Blind Hydra is a go. One operative, Specialist Mendell is down. Sergeant Paul Gold is secure. The status of rest of the list is unknown. Good luck, Sir." _

_Sergeant Gold dialed the number to Outpost Carile. A series of clicks and static began as he waited for the overseas number to connect. Finally he heard two rings before the line was answered._

_"Outpost C. Corporal Anton speaking." Anton answered the direct line from Fort Brookes._

_"Corporal, this is Sergeant Paul Gold from Fort Brookes Intelligence Division. Please let Master Sergeant Emma Swan know that everyone has gone to visit Aunt Rose. Now Major Vic Morrow needs to speak to your outpost commander."_

_He passed the phone to Major Morrow and listened as his supervisor filled Captain Arlo in on the details of the imminent attack on his outpost. As he heard the Major's report, including the detail that Regina Mills being the primary target, his eyes trailed back to the body of the dead Specialist and he worried how Emma's team would survive in the battle._


	37. Chapter 37

A/N Thank you for your patience with my slow updates. First vacation, then carpal-tunnel surgery last week. But everything went well and I have two good hands to type with again, so updates will start coming much quicker now! I appreciate you taking the time to read my story...and thank you to everyone who fans/favorites and follows it! A big hug to each of you who takes the time to write a quick comment to let me know how you feel and what you think of the update :D I'm sorry that I haven't responded to those of you who commented on Chapter Thirty-six. I will get back to each of you by tomorrow! Your comments let me know that I'm on the right track and doing justice to our girls ;)

As always, a special thanks to my beta ElodeaLeaf. I couldn't do it without you, Sam.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

My team joined me as I raced down the gravel path towards HQ. "Column formation." I instructed. Immediately Graham took point, and led us to the gathering of soldiers.

Captain Arlo stood on a high wooden deck outside the HQ cave as Anton and Kaze came to his side. "Specialist Kaze, take the HQ desk. Ignore the outside phone lines. Only answer calls from Fort Brookes and Camp Azor." I heard him command from my position near the platform.

"Yes, Sir." The Airman acknowledged the orders and ran back to HQ.

"Anton, you stay with me." He directed as the Corporal handed him a clipboard.

"Team Leaders step forward for your orders." The Captain bellowed through the bullhorn. Immediately a dozen soldiers, including myself, stepped up just as another round of mortar fire exploded near the outpost perimeter. "The attack on us includes friendly fire. Try to capture them, but if you can't, go for the kill. Master Sergeant Swan, your team is to return and guard Regina Mills; she is the primary target of this attack. Staff Sergeant Anthony, your team provide reinforcements for Swan."

I felt a chill course through my body as my team immediately turned to run. "Master Sergeant, wait!" I heard Anton's voice through the bullhorn. "Everyone's gone to visit Aunt Rose."

I pumped my fist in acknowledgement as a wave of relief washed over me, knowing Kelly and Henry were safe.. "Let's go." I ordered and my team took off at full speed with Staff Sergeant Anthony's team right behind us. "Both teams wedge formation, back to back." I barked as we surrounded the barrack door. "Anthony, your team cover the main trail; Nolan, our team guards the rear."

"Ma'am." Anthony called out. "We'll close the steel door once you're inside. Stay there with the target and lock down from the inside. We've got you covered." He said as looked at Nolan.

David nodded. "Emma, go. We've got this." He promised as three more fire teams ran past their position. I spun around and pounded on the heavy door; three knocks, followed by two, then three again before the door was opened.

"Corporal Hood take up position in Nolan's fireteam." I looked around one last time before ducking into the barracks. "Where's Lieutenant Belle?"

"The infirmary." Ruby responded as she strapped her pistol to her leg and adjusted the grip on her rifle.

"Okay, Regina, stay with me." I instructed the startled brunette as I brushed past her.

"What's going on?" Regina's voice wavered in fear. "Why are you here?"

I waited until the steel door closed over our barrack door. "The attack's a diversion. General King ordered his soldiers to kidnap you."

"Me? Why?" Her eyebrows furrowed and a crease in her forehead became prominent.

"Leverage is my guess. You're the one thing he can use against your mother." I pulled a twenty-five foot rope out of my backpack and untied the holding knot. I ran the rope through the handle of the heavy metal door. "Take this." I handed Regina one end of the rope. "Tie it to that ring in the wall." I took my end and tied it to another ring that had been bolted to the cavern wall. "That should help keep them out." I commented as I inspected Regina's half-hitch knot.

I could hear the mortar and gunfire outside of our cavern as the sounds ricocheted in the canyon of the outpost. I flipped over our beds and pulled them together to use as a brace for the upended metal table. Thank God the beds were solid, too; at least it gave us better protection than just bedsprings would have.

"Over here." I barked from behind the barricade. As soon as Regina joined me, kneeling down behind the structure, I took back my pistol and handed her a spare rifle and her pair of night vision goggles. "Keep your head down and the muzzle pointed at the doorway. If anyone comes in, shoot to kill." I directed as I broke the lone lit light bulb with the butt of my rifle and turned on my goggles. In the darkness I could hear Regina's shallow breathing. "Just take slow deep breaths, I need you to be ready to have my back."

"Okay." She took in a deep breath and released it slowly.

The outpost siren started up, adding to the cacophony of battle noises. I was sure that the steel door muffled many of the sounds, but in the quiet dark cavern I could still hear Staff Sergeant Nolan shouting orders.

"Incoming, left flank." He called and I imagined the battle heating up as the General's team approached the inner part of the base. My blood ran cold when the next order was "Soldier down, we need a medic!"

I could hear and feel the bombs as they detonated across the outpost. Whether they were ours or theirs I couldn't tell, but the closer explosions shook pebbles and rocks loose from the ceiling. I pulled Regina into a tight huddle, hands over our necks for protection, as the debris rained down on us.

"You alright?" I asked between each blast; coughing as we breathed in the dusty air.

"Yes, are you?"

"I'm good. Hold your position." I ordered and we focused again on the entrance to our barrack. The sudden outburst of a machine gun startled me as I watched the shrapnel punch hundreds of indents in the steel door. "Full alert." I yelled over the gunfire. The hair on my neck stood up and I was prepared to kill any and everything that came through that doorway.

Another large blast rocked us, this time causing us to lose our footing as larger chunks of stone bombarded us. I pulled Regina in under my body and covered her tiny frame as best I could.

More gunshots were fired; I recognized they were from a variety of weapons, but I couldn't identify them in the mayhem. And then there was silence, followed by a series of knocks at the metal door. "It's the team. Stand down." I shouted when I recognized the pattern.

"Master Sergeant, it's clear." I heard Nolan call out.

"Hang on!" I scrambled from behind our barricade. "I have to untie the ropes." I made short work of getting the knots out, releasing the hold on the door. "Okay, clear."

Light poured in as the door was slowly opened and six soldiers entered the small cavern, guns still drawn, in an echelon formation. "Clear!" They each called out as they did a visual sweep of the barracks. I heard the voices, but recognized only three.

"Nolan, report." I barked.

"The threat has been neutralized, the outpost is secure."

"Where's Graham?" I realized I hadn't heard his voice.

"He didn't make it." Nolan replied softly. "His combat armor failed."

"That's impossible." Regina gasped. "That was the top of the line armor."

"Then we'll leave that for you to figure out how a bullet from an M-16 rifle went through your precious armor, Ma'am." This time Nolan's voice had a hard edge to it.

"Enough." I cut in. "Damage assessment Staff Sergeant."

Nolan flashed a menacing look at the businesswoman before he managed a neutral expression. "Master Sergeant Anthony's team is intact; he's gone to HQ to give report."

"Then I suggest we do the same. Both fire teams unite in a squad column formation. Blanchard, take point; let's move out." The eight of us, Regina walking next to me, marched towards HQ.

Our route was riddled with obstacles; it seemed the mountain walls lost bigger debris than the inside caverns. Large boulders, fallen trees and landslides covered areas of the trail, making parts impassable. We cherry picked our way through the forest, going around the obstacles, to reach our destination. It was impossible not to miss that amongst the damage there were more than twenty dead soldiers strewn along the lines. Dark green blankets covered each of the bodies, hiding the horror from our eyes. But I knew what those bodies looked like; and once again, I had lost another of my teammates. War doesn't discriminate. It takes soldiers, civilians, children; both good and evil alike. I forced myself to look away, to focus on the task at hand. There was nothing I could do for those who lost their lives, except to honor them with my own valiant service to the Republic.

Airman Kaze stood next to Captain Arlo on the raised platform, taking notes as each fire team reported in. I looked around for Corporal Anton, but I couldn't find him among the other soldiers. The Captain took the bullhorn and clicked it on, causing a loud squelch that pierced my ears. "We're still assessing the damage and loss we've sustained today. All soldiers are accounted for, so clean up measures are now our top priority. All NCO's report front and center to receive your team's orders." I stood in the short line, finally reaching the front.

"Master Sergeant Swan, my condolences on losing one of your team today."

"Thank you, Sir."

"The remainder of your team is ordered to return back to Camp Azor; a helicopter will be arriving shortly to transport you."

"Sir, we could stay and help with the clean-up."

"That's appreciated, but the order stands. Sergeant Graham's body will be transported by truck to the airport and flown back to the Republic. Gather your team and prepare for transport."

A wave of guilt washed over mel as I realized what we had wrought upon the outpost. The Captain seemed to read my mind as he added. "Master Sergeant, this wasn't your doing; this belongs squarely on General King and his cronies. Your team performed admirably today, it's been an honor serving with you." He held out his arm and clasped my forearm.

"It's been an honor serving with you too, Sir." I grasped his forearm and nodded.

...

_"Sergeant Gold, man the radio." Major Morrow tossed the soldier a red handheld walkie-talkie. "Report any news immediately to me."_

_"Yes, Sir." Gold caught the radio and turned up the volume. Sporadic chatter filled the airwaves as security teams called out their locations on base. Gold made a rough sketch of the base on a blank sheet of paper and penciled in the locations as they were called out. A new stream of chatter came through, causing Gold to call out. "Major, they caught Senior Master Sergeant August Booth." He announced as he made his way to the Major's office._

_"Excellent." The Major replied, erasing Booth's name from the "at large" column of the dry-erase board, and in neat block letters, rewriting it under "captured."_

_"Still quite a few out there." Gold noted the seventeen names, including General King's, still listed under "at large"._

_"We'll find them." The Major said confidently as another round of chatter came through the radio._

_"What about Cora Mills and her company?"_

_"The FBI is on top of that." The Major held up a cell phone. "I'm waiting to hear from them."_

_The radio chatter picked up again as a very excited voice came through. "Lock down the East Gate! General King is enroute at high speeds. ETA of thirty seconds."_

_"East Gate is locked down." A deep voice responded._

_Thirty seconds later the chatter resumed as the radio picked up the conversation. "General King, come out with your hands up. We have you surrounded." Tense silence filled the air before a single shot was heard. _

_"The General is down. Self-inflicted. Repeat the General is down."_

_Major Morrow immediately dialed a phone number. "Colonel Anderson, can you confirm the report?...Thank you, Sir...I'll await your call." The officer stepped past Gold. "Come with me, Sergeant." He ordered as two soldiers entered the building with a stretcher._

_Gold followed him back to the open work area where Tamara's body laid, covered with a sheet. "Take her to the morgue and have an MP stand guard over her. I don't want anybody getting ideas of making her a martyr or desecrating her further." _

_"Yes, Sir." The two soldiers rolled her now rigored body onto a backboard and lifted her to the stretcher. They rolled her body out of the building and loaded the stretcher into the back of a black van before driving away. _

_Gold looked back at the spot where her body had fallen. A dried pool of blood had seeped into the concrete, and dark red splatters could be seen on two walls of the Specialist's workstation. "Thank you, Sir. For having my back."_

_"You're welcome, Sergeant." The Major flatly replied as he put his hand on Gold's shoulder. "War is a hell of a thing."_

_The cell phone rang loudly, startling Rum._

_"Major Morrow speaking...Yes, Special Agent Price...I see...Thank you for letting me know." The Major hung up the phone. "Son of a bitch, Cora Mills got away."_

_The radio jumped back to life as three more reports came in of captured soldiers. Gold and Morrow returned to the Major's office and updated the board. Most of the key players were now in the "captured" column; Tamara Mendell's name had a cross by it, to designate that she was dead. The Major hesitated before erasing the General's name and moving it over to the "captured" column with a cross and a question mark._

_Another phone rang, this time the one on the Major's desk. "Morrow...One moment, Sir." He took out a pen and began scribbling names on a pad. "Okay, go on...any survivors?...Thank you, General Marco, please keep me informed of any updates."_

_The Major didn't say a word to Sergeant Gold, but turned to his whiteboard and wrote twenty-six names down under a new column entitled "Outpost Carile Casualties". Gold read each name as the Major jotted them down in his strong block script. _

_"Damn it." Rum swore softly when he saw the name "Sgt. Graham" added to the list. _

_"A friend?" The Major paused his writing._

_"A brother; he was part of my team." Gold bit his lip to stop the tears from falling. "A damn fine soldier." The Sergeant studied the rest of the names. "Any of the rebels survive?"_

_"No, they're all deceased, including the factions from Captain Killian Jones' brigade."_

_"We'll at least there's that, small consolation that it is." _

_"Let's just hope we got all the operatives." The Major sighed as he finished the list._

...

_The roar of the plane's engines made it difficult for Cora Mills to hear the voice on the other end of the phone line._

_"Killian, are you still there?" She demanded._

_"Yes, love, I'm still here." Jones replied as he played with a pen from his desk, twirling it with his good hand. "I take it you escaped safely?"_

_"Thanks to your heads up, I cleared Republic air space just in time." Cora gave a tight smile at the flight attendant as she accepted her gin and tonic. "I should have known George would double cross me at some point."_

_"Well, the business world is full of treachery, m'lady. So where are you planning to go to escape the Republic's clutches? After all, I'm sure your name is all over the intelligence community now."_

_"I plan to come to Volpure, of course. I have a nice nest egg that will suffice until I come up with a way to make an income. I was thinking I'd buy a small chalet near the coast. Nothing ostentatious of course, just comfortable enough for my needs. Perhaps you can recommend a good realtor?"_

_Killian Jones dropped the pen. "Ah, Cora." He paused to gather his thoughts. "While Volpure is a lovely country, are you sure this is the place for you?"_

_"I'm positive, Captain. Your country has no extradition agreement in place with the Republic, as well as very lax tax laws. I think it will suit me perfectly." The plane dropped and pitched slightly to the right. "KIllian, I'll call you when I arrive. There's quite a bit of turbulence, I nearly dropped my drink." She laughed. _

_"Right, looking forward to seeing you." Killian assured her before he hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, letting his head loll backwards. "What have you gotten yourself into, Jones?" _

...

My team was packed and ready to go when we heard the helicopter blade's distinct sound getting louder. Huddled behind the safety zone, we shielded our eyes from debris as the chopper landed and turned off the propellers. I turned when I felt a hand on my arm.

"I thought you might like this." Specialist Kaze handed me a small black metal box.

"What's this?" I asked loudly as I took the heavy carton.

"The recording device. Sorry if it's damaged, I had to improvise to get it out of the Humzee."

"Thanks, Kaze." I nodded at the woman. "I appreciate it."

"Be safe Master Sergeant."

"You, too." I yelled back as the flight crew waved us forward.

There wasn't much room in the helicopter. We sat in the back cargo area with our gear as the copter lifted off the ground and banked hard to the left. "Hang on." The pilot called over the PA system. "It's gonna be a hard, fast ride."

Lieutenant Belle lost her balance and fell over into Blanchard's lap. She abruptly sat back up and apologized, though Blanchard just gave her a tired smile and promised her it was no problem. I wondered how Belle's day had gone; if there were any injured soldiers to treat, or if everyone died on the battlefield. I decided there must have been some injured that were treated in the Infirmary. The smudges of blood on her BDU's attested to her work as a field nurse. Corporal Hood pulled the Lieutenant closer to her. "You can rest on my shoulder, Belle. I'll make sure you don't fall again."

I looked closely at each of my team members and realized that we all needed a good shower, a good meal and some time to decompress. I watched Nolan's eyes, grief flickering through them before he shook his head. Blanchard was exhausted, but still sensed Nolan's mood, as she rubbed a comforting hand over his arm. Regina sat as far away from the team as she could manage in the small space. Her eyes were closed, her face dirty from the dust and debris. The vein on her forehead was the only sign of distress that she showed on her otherwise blank expression.

We bounced and jerked throughout the hour long ride back to Camp Azor. I never thought I'd be happy to see that place again, but right then, I was ready to kiss the hard-packed dirt that it was built on.

"Welcome back to Azor." The pilot announced as the helicopter made a final loop around the base and quickly descended. Once the landing skids were firmly on the ground, the pilot cut the engine and the blades off. We waited until we were given the all clear sign before we disembarked. Looking around, I saw Lieutenant Mulan and General Marco waiting near the helipad.

"Master Sergeant Swan, your team will report immediately for debriefing in conference room A." The Lieutenant greeted me.

"Yes, Ma'am." I nodded sharply.

"Ms. Mills, you are to come with me." General Marco stepped forward.

I gave Regina a long look, but she just turned away and walked towards the General.

"Master Sergeant." He called to me. "Once the Lieutenant is finished with your team, they may return to their barracks, but you are ordered to stay in the conference room until I return with Ms. Mills."

"Sir, yes Sir!" I responded, happy to know that I would see Regina again soon.


	38. Chapter 38

A/N- A huge thanks to everyone who is sticking with me on this journey! Thank you for taking just a second of your time to let me know what you think and how you feel about my updates :)

As always, I bow to the grammatical prowess of my beta, Elodealeaf. And now...onto the story.

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

The fluorescent lights hurt my eyes while we waited for Lieutenant Mulan in the conference room. I rubbed my face with my hands, trying to stay awake. Finally, I gave up and stood to walk over and start the coffee maker. The first few drips had fallen into the pot when the door opened slowly and Lieutenant Mulan and General Marco entered the room. My entire team snapped to attention when he walked in.

"At ease, soldiers." He stated as he stood at the front of the room. "First off, my condolences on you losing a member of your team. It's always tough to lose one of your own. I understand Captain Forest is your CO at Fort Brookes?"

"Yes, Sir." I answered as I carried a hot cup of coffee to my table and sat down.

He made a note on his electronic tablet. "Very good, then I'll make sure he keeps in touch with you regarding Sergeant Graham's burial and posthumous commendations."

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate that."

"I realize you're all very tired, but there are two pieces of business that need immediate attention before you can leave this room. First..." the Lieutenant passed out a clipboard with a stack of forms to each of us, "...we need each of your accounts of what happened at Outpost Carile, from the time you woke up this morning until the time you transferred out on the helicopter. Lieutenant French, I realize that your story will be significantly different than the rest of the team's, so it's vital that you complete your information so we can get a well-rounded perspective of the events."

I flipped through the forms and blew out my breath. _ This is gonna take all night_. I thought as the General continued talking. "Regretfully, we were unaware of the unfolding situation right up until the moment I got the phone call from the Intelligence Division at Fort Brookes." He frowned. "However, what's done is done and we need to move forward. So, I leave you in Lieutenant Mulan's capable hands." He stood to leave. "Welcome back to Camp Azor."

"Okay, let's move on." The Lieutenant directed. "From this point forward until you're finished with the reports, there will be no discussion allowed between yourselves. Fill out the forms to the best of your abilities. Don't embellish, speculate or add hearsay in your answers. Go strictly from your personal experience. As the General stated, they want as many unique perspectives as possible in order to piece together how these events came to happen. Any questions before we begin?"

"Can I use the restroom?" Ruby asked from the table behind me.

"Of course. I'll call someone to escort you." She picked up the telephone receiver. "Anybody else need to go?" We all nodded. A Staff Sergeant with a MP band on her arm showed up a couple minutes later to escort us all down the hall to the facilities, and then back to the conference room to work on our reports.

"Everyone squared away?" The Lieutenant asked as we sat back down.

We all answered affirmatively.

"Then let's begin."

As I stared at the first form, with its list of basic questions such as my name, service ID number, birth date and so on, my thought turned once again to Regina and I wondered how she was faring.

...

_The General, along with two MPs, escorted Regina Mills to a separate, secured entrance of the HQ building. They worked their way through a maze of hallways before stopping in an area that Regina recognized as Doctor Hopper's waiting room._

_"Major Hopper will be with you shortly, Ms. Mills." The General noted as the MPs each covered the two possible exits from the waiting room. _

_"Thank you, General." Regina smoothly sat down in a chair and crossed her ankles, wondering if the MPs were there to protect her or guard her. Moments later, Archibald Hopper strode purposefully down the hallway towards the brunette. _

_"Ms. Mills, it's good to see you back in one piece." He smiled warmly as he unlocked the door to his office and opened it widely._

_"Thank you Doctor." She gave him a guarded smile._

_Regina entered the Doctor's office and sat in her usual chair. She looked around at the decor, noting that nothing had changed since the last time she was there. But this time, the surroundings didn't feel threatening, instead they felt safe. She relaxed and gave a small smile as Doctor Hopper offered her a glass of ice water with a slice of lemon. "Thank you." She offered as she sipped the cold beverage before setting the glass down on the table next to her._

_"You're most welcome, Ms. Mills." Archie returned the smile as he sat in the chair across from her. He cocked his head and studied the brunette. "How are you?" He asked softly._

_She placed her hands flatly on her thighs and took a sharp breath. "I've been better."_

_Archie nodded. "Quite a day you've had." He leaned forward. How are you feeling about what transpired at the outpost?"_

_She looked at him and ran one hand through her soft dark hair. "Honestly, I haven't let myself feel much of anything. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it."_

_"I take it you were surprised?" He leaned forward._

_Her eyebrows raised up. "Completely."_

_"I understand there's been some changes at Mills Vestments, too." He took a sip of water._

_She hesitated before answering with a simple "Yes."_

_Archie took a deep breath before continuing. "As both a military officer and a psychiatrist, I have the unique opportunity of being able to discuss military matters and cover them under doctor/patient confidentiality. So, although what I'm about to say isn't strictly medical in nature, it is definitely in the best interest of your wellbeing, Ms. Mills." He caught and held eye contact with the businesswoman. "There is a freight train of justice barrelling down the tracks and heading straight towards you. You need to decide if you want to be on the train or tied to the track it when it rolls through."_

_She sat silently, worrying her bottom lips between her teeth as he continued. "If you choose to cooperate with the Army and FBI's investigations, it will go a long way towards protecting yourself and your assets. But if you decide to be uncooperative, then I'm sorry, but our ability to help you will be severely limited."_

_Regina nodded, all tendrils of tiredness replaced with anxiety. "I see." Her lawyer mind began working to determine her best options. After a few more minutes of tense silence she asked. "Define cooperate?"_

_Archie pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Well, for starters, you would be subjected to intense interviews by our intelligence department."_

_"Interviews or interrogations?" She spat._

_"I admit it might seem like the latter, but only because time and information are of the essence. I assure you that if you're cooperative, the questions will be directed more at the other parties that are under investigation, too."_

_Her dark eyes narrowed. "So, I __**am**__ under investigation?" _

_"Well, your company is being thoroughly scrutinized for illegal dealings, though its status as a corporation would protect the owners and management."_

_She held up her hand to stop him. "Might I remind you that I'm no longer an employee of __**any**__ company."_

_He nodded. "I realize that. However, individuals within your former company, as well as those at PPI are also under investigation."_

_"But am I one of those individuals?" Regina pressed._

_"If you were, I don't think we'd be having this conversation right now." He admitted. "But the information you have regarding MCV's business practices could go a long way in helping clear the company itself of any wrongdoing. I have to be honest and tell you I don't have all the details of the case; I just have enough knowledge to be able to discuss the basics with you. If you decide to cooperate fully, then the Intelligence Department would take it from here." _

_"I see." Regina sat back and crossed her arms. "And although I don't give a damn right now about clearing MCV's name, I have one more question before I make my decision."_

_Archie nodded. "Of course."_

_Regina looked at the ceiling before she glanced back at the Doctor. "Is my father under investigation?"_

_"My understanding is that everyone involved with MCV is being looked at." _

_"I need to know for certain about my father before I can make an informed decision." She pursed her lips._

_"Let me make that phone call for you." He punched the extension into the phone and waited._

_"Intelligence Division, First Lieutenant Ariel speaking." _

_"Good evening, First Lieutenant, this is Major Archibald Hopper. I have Regina Mills in my office and she has a question or two for you. As this is within the bounds of a therapeutic session, all information given will be covered under doctor/patient confidentiality."_

_There was a pause. "Go ahead Sir, please turn on your speakerphone." Archie hit a button and sat back down. _

_"Okay, First Lieutenant, it's on." He nodded at Regina. "Ms. Mills has a couple of questions."_

_The voice came through the phone. "How can I help you, Ms. Mills?"_

_"Doctor Hopper has been filling me in on the basics of your case. My main question is whether or not my father, Henry Mills, is under scrutiny or investigation from the Army or FBI."_

_The sound of typing came through the speaker. "Ma'am, I'm not seeing any active inquiries about your father." Then more typing. "From what I can tell, the investigation on him has ceased."_

_"Has he been cleared of any wrongdoing?" Regina tried to decipher the Lieutenant's words. In response there was an extended period of silence broken only by the sound of typing on a keyboard and shuffling of papers._

_'One moment please." The woman finally responded as the line went blank. When the line clicked, it was a different person who answered the phone. "This is Major Vic Morrow at Fort Brookes. I'm spearheading the investigation on behalf of the Army of the Republic, and I am also the point person collaborating with the FBI. Perhaps I can answer your questions more expediently than the First Lieutenant can."_

_"Thank you Major Morrow, this is Major Archibald Hopper at Camp Azor. I'm here with Regina Mills. She has a question or two for you." Archie nodded at the brunette._

_"Thank you Major," Regina began, "I realize it's the middle of the night for you in the Republic. I just have a couple questions. The first is regarding my father; is he under investigation?"_

_"No Ma'am, your father is not under investigation."_

_"Has he been cleared of any wrongdoing?" Her forehead furrowed._

_"Yes, we have cleared him of any charges related to this investigation." _

_"Next question. Have I been cleared of any wrongdoing?" Regina leaned forward._

_There was an extended silence before the Major responded. "In regards to all events that transpired once you arrived in Freylache, you have been cleared of any wrongdoing. However, your work related to your position as COO of Mills Vestment Corporation is of interest to the FBI."_

_"I see." The stress was apparent in her voice._

_"I __**can**__ tell you, Ms. Mills, that you are not the primary target in our investigations. And, there are many discrepancies between your company's files and the surveillance operations that are in place. Ms. Mills, if you cooperate with us, I can promise that the Army will do all it can to help you out. It's not you we're after; we just want to be able to clear your name and move forward."_

_"I know it's a difficult decision, Ms. Mills." Doctor Hopper added. "But we do need a decision tonight."_

_Regina considered her options. "Who __**is**__ the primary target, Major Morrow?"_

_He cleared his voice before answering. "Your mother is the CEO of Mills Vestment Corporation, is that correct?"_

_"Yes, that's correct."_

_"And she is the CEO of Mills Global Corporation?"_

_The question caught Regina by surprise. "Um, yes, that is what she __**told**__ me."_

_"When did she tell you this?"_

_Regina thought about that. "Just yesterday, actually. I called her from Outpost Carile to discuss the lack of suitable armor for the larger sized soldiers that are stationed there." She rubbed her hands over her tired face. "She said I'd signed a job agreement to become the COO of the company, but I honestly don't recall that, and Master Sergeant Swan will testify that Sydney Glass tampered with the envelope that I sealed for him to deliver to my mother."_

_The lawyer in her forced her to stop talking when she realized she was only giving their investigation more fodder. Regina sat silently, tapping her fingers on the couch, trying her hardest not to ask about her mother, but in the end she had to know._

_"Speaking of my mother, what's the status on her whereabouts? Have you taken her into custody?" _

_"I'm sorry to report that your mother escaped from the Republic and remains at large. We're working with our various allies regarding extradition should she surface in any of their countries."_

_"She won't go anywhere she can be extradited. She's too cunning to be caught that easily." Regina tried to tamp down the panic that was threatening to overwhelm her._

_"Nevertheless, the FBI has upgraded her status to Most Wanted, so I have no doubt they will exhaust all their resources in an effort to capture and prosecute her. What I need to know right now from you is which side you're on." Major Morrow's serious tone came through the speakerphone._

_Regina bowed her head and covered her face with her hands, thinking. Finally she softly replied. "Yours."_

_"Then you will cooperate fully with our investigation?" The Major clarified._

_"Yes, I will. But in return, you will protect me from any known threats, including my mother, correct?"_

_"Yes, we will protect you, Ms. Mills. Is there anything further you need to ask me before I go?"_

_She looked at Archie and shook her head 'no.'_

_Doctor Hopper responded to the Major's question. "No Major, I can take it from here. Thank you for your time tonight."_

_"Not a problem, Major Hopper. I've got a feeling I won't be getting any sleep tonight anyway. Goodnight, Ms. Mills. Goodnight, Major Hopper." _

_The call disconnected as Archie softly replied, "Goodnight." He looked seriously at Regina. "What you're doing is very brave. It can't be easy to stand up to a parent."_

_Regina shrugged. "Nothing about this has been easy."_

_"I'm sorry that I have a few forms that need to be filled out tonight before you leave my office. Once you're finished, I can take you back to where Master Sergeant Swan will be waiting for you." He handed her a clipboard with identical forms as the rest of the team's. "Tomorrow, you and I will be doing more talking, but for tonight, this is enough. I'm glad you decided to be on our side." He added sincerely._

_Regina took the clipboard from the Doctor's hand and began filling in the information on the top sheet. "I hate paperwork." She admitted._

_"Well, the Army considers it a form of soft torture. Especially when things have to be filled out in triplicate." He smiled. "I hate it, too. While you work on that, I'm just going to be on my computer doing some dictation to catch up on my patient load. If you need anything at all, I'm here for you."_

_"Thank you, Archie." She said as she continued to fill out the pile of forms. It took her over an hour before she finished, signing her name on the bottom line of the final sheet._

_"All finished?" Archie stood and took the clipboard back. "Let's get you back to your team."_

...

We'd finished up the paperwork and returned our clipboards to Lieutenant Mulan. Looking around at my teammates, I could tell they were as tired and hungry as I was. I prayed that Mulan would dismiss us for the night, but instead she set the clipboards aside and began talking.

"It's been recently uncovered that there was a mole in the Intelligence Division at Fort Brookes." Mulan stated flatly. "Because of that, those persons whom were being investigated, have been able to stay one step ahead of us. That ended today when General George King ordered a team of soldiers to attack Outpost Carile with the intent of kidnapping Regina Mills and killing all the soldiers, including yourselves, who were stationed there."

I heard a small gasp from Sergeant Blanchard, who was sitting next to me.

"The leaked information, as well as the soldiers involved, are being dealt with. This was a much bigger operation than anticipated, with soldiers assigned at both Fort Brookes, and here in the Frey, working for General King. The Security and Intelligence Divisions at Fort Brookes are working together to apprehend all known operatives in the group of rebels. You will probably be called upon at some point by JAG as they prosecute this case."

She paused to let that sink in. "Because all five of you were involved to an extent with the dealings of Mills Combat Vestments, you're considered a threat to some very influential people." She stood and came around to the front of her desk. "From this point forward, you're ordered to have no contact with anyone in the Republic until further notice. No family, no comrades, no one. Do I make myself clear?"

Blanchard's expression mirrored my own. Her forehead was furrowed in confusion as she raised her hand to ask a question.

"Sergeant Blanchard?" Mulan nodded.

"How long will this sequester last?" The pitch in her voice was higher than usual.

Mulan focused her attention on me. "There are some powerful people in the Republic who want your team dead. They are a bigger threat to you than anything here in the Frey. Your team will remain at Camp Azor until the situation has been completely resolved and we can ensure your safety. But in order for us to be able to protect you, your full cooperation is necessary."

I gave a sharp nod to Mulan as I tried to grasp the reality of our situation. "What about Regina Mills?" I asked in a tight voice.

"Ms. Mills is being brought up to speed by Major Hopper. As far as the Army is concerned, she will decide her own fate."

_Well, that was vague._ I thought as the knot in my stomach tightened. I prayed to whatever God would listen that Regina would choose wisely.

Once Mulan was finished she dismissed the other four members of my team, leaving me alone to wait for Regina.

"God, I'm hungry." Staff Sergeant Nolan complained.

"I can fix that." Corporal Hood smiled. "After all, I have keys to the Mess Hall."

"I think I'm in love with you, Ruby." He laughed as both Belle and Mary Margaret protested by slapping him on the arm.

"You better take that back before you're in the dog house, Staff Sergeant." Ruby laughed as she turned to me. "Can I get you anything from the Mess Hall?"

I nodded gratefully. "Anything would be great, Corporal. Can you bring enough for two to Ms. Mills' barracks please?"

"You betcha!" She waved as she walked down the hall with the others.

I waited alone in the conference room for another half an hour. I tried to drink another cup of coffee, but the bottom of the pot had burned, giving the brew a bitter taste. I poured the rest down the sink and settled for a cup of tap water. Sitting down back at the table, I watched the clock tick off ten more minutes before the door opened and a very weary looking Regina walked in, followed by Doctor Hopper.

"Hello, Master Sergeant." He greeted me.

"Hello, Sir." I stood at attention.

"At ease." He waved his hand informally and I relaxed my stance, but remained standing. "Did Lieutenant Mulan fill you in on the sequester details?"

"Yes, Major." I answered him, though I was looking at Regina.

"Well then, Ms. Mills is all yours. Sleep well tonight. Things will look better in the morning." He promised.

"Goodnight, Sir." I said as he left the room.

"Let's get out of here." I said and we walked silently in the dark to her quarters. As we approached the barrack, I instinctively searched the perimeter and then entered the tent before her. "All Clear." I announced after I turned on all the lights and inspected the space. She quickly entered the tent.

Turning to face her, I fought the urge to tuck an errant strand of dark hair behind her ear and ask her how she was. Instead, I gave her a small smile. "It's good to see you. Ruby brought us some food." I pointed at the tray of grapes, random crackers and cheese. "I thought we could eat, then shower and you can get some sleep." I was too tired to make a crack about showering together.

"You need sleep, too." She protested.

"I need to keep you safe." I countered.

"Emma, the safest place you could offer would be in your arms tonight." I could see the tears shimmering in her eyes.

Whether it was because I was exhausted, or because I really wanted to just hold her in my arms, I relented. "Okay, I'd like that." I admitted as I reached out and slowly tucked the strand of her hair neatly behind her ear before I leaned in and gave her a soft, warm kiss. Her lips parted and I sucked gently on her full lower lip before running my tongue across it. She moaned as I pulled her tighter to my body, feeling a warmth spread through my core. She deepened the kiss, her tongue gently exploring and probing my mouth as our lips crushed together. I had to pull back to catch my breath, dizzy from the range of emotions that were surging through my tired body.

"I'm sorry." My stomach dropped at her apology.

"No, it's my fault." I said, my shoulders drooping.

"Emma." She lifted my chin with her hand. "I'm not apologizing for kissing you; I'm apologizing because I'm too tired, hungry and dirty to go any further tonight."

"Oh." I said, feeling my face heat up.

She leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss. "Now let's eat. I'm starving."


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: As always, a huge thanks to my beta Elodealeaf! This is a repost of Chapter 39 now that it's been betad :)

And thank you all so much for sharing this journey with me. I am overwhelmed with your support and feedback; it is appreciated more than you could know.

**Chapter Thirty-nine**

"Good morning, Regina." I smiled as I tied up the laces on my boots.

She rolled over in her bunk and blinked a couple times "What time is it?"

"0900 hours. I thought you might like to get some breakfast, or at least some coffee with me."

"You've changed." She gestured towards me.

"Oh, yeah. Please don't take offense but I feel a bit safer in my old armor."

She sighed, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "No, I don't blame you." She looked

sullen as she dressed in her armor and BDUs. I glanced at my watch. " My team was going to

meet us here at 0915."

"I'll be ready." She combed through her hair and then brushed her teeth. I heard footsteps

approaching her barracks so I went out to greet my team.

"Master Sergeant Swan. May I have a word in private?" Nolan's expression hardened when Regina

came out the door and joined us.

Sergeant Blanchard stepped around the corner and offered "I can take Ms. Mills to the Mess Hall

and meet you there."

I looked between the two of them before I nodded. "Thank you Sergeant. Ms. Mills and I will join

you as soon as possible."

I thought I saw a flash of anger in her eyes before she schooled her features and glared

impassively at Nolan. "If this concerns me, I'd rather the Staff Sergeant address me directly."

Nolan nodded sharply. "Fine, I'd rather you know what I think anyhow." He took a step towards

her and it took all my willpower to not step in between them.

Other soldiers were coming down the path, and I decided I really didn't want to give them any

fodder for gossip, so I ordered everyone inside where we could talk privately. The barrack was

tidy; Regina was usually fastidious in her housekeeping, though the small table was covered with

scattered sheets of papers. She gathered them up into a neat pile and set them aside so we

could sit around the table and talk.

"Alright, Staff Sergeant. What is this about?"

Nolan glared at Regina. "This is about her company intentionally sending us to the Frey with

substandard armor. If Graham had been wearing his old armor, he would still be alive today."

I looked around the table. Blanchard's head was bowed and she was softly weeping, Nolan's

face was flushed and Regina looked pissed. My own stomach was churning as I watched my

team fall apart.

Regina cleared her throat before tersely answering. "I assure you Staff Sergeant that I had no

knowledge of any subterfuge."

Nolan stood up, his chair legs scraping on the wooden floor, and leaned forward menacingly.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you, Ms. Mills." He snapped.

Regina growled and stood. I was worried I was going to have to break up a fight, but instead of

advancing on Nolan, she started to undress.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I protested as she pulled off her BDU jacket.

She tossed it on the bed and pulled off her armor as the sound of the velcro ripped through the

silence. "Take it." She ordered as she tossed the chestplate on the table before stripping off her

boots and BDU pants. Again, she removed and then angrily tossed the leg armor towards

David. Her voice was nearly shouting. "Take your damn guns and shoot it up." She spin around

like a madwoman and tore through her gearbag. She brandished a combat knife, and all three of

us stood up and pulled our handguns.

Her eyes were glossy, her gaze unfocused as she came towards the table. We all took a step

backwards, keeping our guns trained on her. "You think you were the only ones sent with

garbage for armor?" She shouted, her face a deep red. Grabbing the leg armor she stabbed it

over and over. We watched in confusion as each blow easily cut through the armor. "My mother

sent me to a warzone to die!"

I holstered my gun and took command of the situation as best I could. "Nolan, take the armor

and test it yourself. Blanchard, go find Doctor Hopper." They both stood frozen in their spot,

watching Regina spiral out of control. "Now!" I ordered and, grabbing the armor, they both

scattered.

"Regina." She had turned away from me, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso. She was

shaking, but I couldn't tell whether it was from anger, fear or sorrow. I padded slowly towards

her semi-naked form like I was approaching a feral kitten. "It's gonna be okay." I softly assured

her.

I crept closer, grabbing her discarded pants along the way. "Here." I held them in her line of

sight. "Put these on before Archie gets here."

She looked at me in a daze, but took the BDU's and slowly dressed. In just her tank top and

BDU pants, without the padding the armor provided, she looked tiny and vulnerable; nothing like

the arrogant woman in high heels and a power suit I first met. "Can I sit down next to you?" I

gave a small smile when she nodded.

I sat down next to her and she immediately leaned towards me. I wrapped my arm around her

and kissed the top of her head. "I've got you." I promised. We sat in comfortable silence for the

next ten minutes as Regina regained her composure and my stomach finally stopped doing

backflips. A knock at the door brought us back to reality as Sergeant Blanchard entered the

quarters.

"Hey, I found Doctor Hopper but he's in a meeting right now." Her soft voice was comforting.

"But he said if you want, we could walk you down to his office and wait for him."

Regina looked up, red eyed, at Mary Margaret and gave her a tight smile. "Thank you, but that

won't be necessary. Can we just go to the Mess Hall? I would love a cup of coffee right now."

"You're not the only one." I smiled as I handed her BDU jacket to her.

As we walked towards the Mess Hall, she turned to Blanchard. "Did Nolan find out anything

about my armor?"

Blanchard shook her head. "He's going to take it down to the shooting range after breakfast. He

wants to try a variety of weapons on it."

"I'd like to be there." She said flatly. "To document his tests for evidence."

"That's a good idea." I decided. "I'll get clearance from Lieutenant Mulan."

It took a bit of persuasion to convince the Lieutenant that Staff Sergeant Nolan was the right

person to test Ms. Mills armor. We finally compromised that Nolan could do the testing, but it

would have to wait for two days so agents from both JAG and the FBI would be present to

document the results.

"That will work out well." Mulan nodded. "By then they will be ready to question Ms. Mills. She

made the right decision when she agreed to cooperation."

"What about my fireteam?"

"I'm sure they'll be wanting statements from all of you, too."

"No, I mean, what do you plan to do with us? Are we still on Protect and Escort Duty for Ms.

Mills, or do you have other plans for us while we're here at Camp Azor?"

The Lieutenant tapped her pen on the top of her desk. "I think it's safe to say that Ms. Mills will

need protection for the duration of her stay here at Azor, as might your team." She pulled out a

newspaper from her desk drawer and tossed it towards me.

"What's this?" I looked at the copy of _The Republic Sentinel_, daily military newspaper. The front

headline screamed _Traitors Among Us._

"This morning's paper." Mulan said grimly.

I sat down and read the article. I had no idea what had been happening at Fort Brookes;

General King has committed suicide trying to escape the base during a sweeping raid that ended

up with his organization crushed and most of his cronies either dead or in custody. The article

mentioned the attack on us at Outpost Carile and gave some convincing evidence that it was

ordered by General King as a kidnapping attempt on Regina.

My blood ran cold as I read the next few paragraphs that outlined how Cora and Regina Mills,

under the guise of Mills Combat Vestments, intentionally put soldiers' lives at risk by producing

and distributing substandard armor to soldiers in the Frey. Graham's death was mentioned in

grisly detail; his armor failing him in battle causing his demise. The rest of my team was

mentioned with the question of if we were innocent victims of Ms. Mills fraud or willing

accomplices to her malicious actions towards soldiers. I tossed the paper back on the

Lieutenant's desk.

"This is bullshit." I shook my head. "We were just doing our job."

"Master Sergeant, you and I both know that, but by tonight every soldier on base will have read

this and made up their own mind as to your innocence."

I gave that some thought, knowing the Lieutenant was right. The newspaper writer had just

painted a large bullseye on my team's back, the question was why? "How did the writer, this..." I

glanced at the byline of the article. "...Lieutenant Neal Cassidy, have access to all these details?"

"The Intelligence Division at Fort Brookes is looking into him. He's been stationed there for two

years with the 18th Weather Squadron."

"So he's not part of the news corp." I mused.

"Apparently not, but the danger he has put your entire team in cannot be underestimated. I've

been speaking at length to my superiors about the situation since this the copy hit my desk. The

camp is still on DEFCON Charlie, so all traffic in and out of Azor has stopped."

"Is there a threat within the camp?"

"There's always a risk." She shrugged before she answered her ringing phone. "Lieutenant

Mulan speaking...yes, sir...understood. When?...alright, I'll handle it immediately." She hung up

the phone and looked at me. "It seems Major Hopper has convinced General Marco that your

team's safety is at imminent risk. You're being moved, along with Ms. Mills to a safe place off

base. I'll escort you to your barracks."

"Off-base?"

"That's all the information I have Master Sergeant." She said, standing up and walking out of her

office. I hurried to catch up to her rapid gait.

Two MPs joined us as we moved towards my barracks, and another two were waiting outside

my tent. I went inside and quickly threw together my backpack of gear. I armed myself with my

rifle, my spare handgun and ammunition. At the last moment, I also grabbed the pillow off my

bunk. What can I say? It was a really comfortable pillow.

"Alright, I'm set." I stated as I came outside my barrack.

The Lieutenant paused for a moment. "I'll get Blanchard and Nolan. Master Sergeant, you and

two MPs go get Ms. MIlls. Bring anything she needs to testify, including her computer and any

notes she's made. She won't have access to them once you are moved."

"Yes, Ma'am." I turned to the two MPs that escorted me. "You're with me."

It only took us a few seconds to jog to Regina's tent. A soldier was standing guard in front of the

concrete barricades that surrounded her barrack. "All quiet." He announced as we approached

the tent. In my rush I just glanced at his rank insignia. "Thank you Corporal. You're dismissed."

I went inside, startling Regina out of her reverie. "We have to move now." I told her as I began to

gather up her paperwork. "Grab your backpack, your computer and anything you need as

evidence for the prosecutors."

"Wait, Emma. Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe. But we've got to move fast."

She nodded before quickly stowing her laptop in its case and grabbing a filebox that was partially

full of file folders. "I'll need the book from under my mattress." She pointed to her bed and I lifted

the mattress to find a binder.

"Anything else?" I hefted her backpack over my shoulder and grabbed the filebox.

She looked around one last time. "I think that's everything."

"Okay, let's move out." I exited the door with her in tow. The MPs took the lead, so I tucked in

behind Regina to form a protective ring around her. As we moved down the wooden staircase it

struck me as odd that Two Buck Chuck, the base's DJ was standing across the way, a smile

plastered on his face.

We had just gotten off past the barricades when I felt the force of an explosion throw me hard to

the ground, the heat of the fire surrounding me as I landed face down in a pile of debris. My leg's

on fire. Was my last thought before the darkness overtook me.

...

_It was late at night when he heard the rustling outside his window. "Hello?" He called out in the_

_darkness. "Identify yourself." He ordered as he screwed the hook into his arm and quietly_

_reached for a loaded pistol. Just as his fingertips touched the cool metal weapon, he was_

_accosted from behind. A large man held him in place, snapping the handcuffs on his wrist,_

_adding a piece of binding custom made for his hook._

_Another small man approached him, shining a flashlight directly into his face. He laughed at the_

_shorter man, feigning bravery. "Do you have any idea who I am?"_

_He heard the larger man answer in his left ear. "Captain Killian "Hook" Jones. You would fetch a_

_pretty bounty in the Republic, over ten million dollars if my memory serves me right. But my_

_orders are not to capture you, but rather to make a deal with you." The man spoke Volipuk with a_

_slight Southern Republic accent._

_"A deal. Yes, I am quite good with making a deal." He was relieved when the bedroom lights_

_were flicked on and he could see his captors. "Obviously you're Republic Soldiers, but I don't_

_recognize your insignias. He looked over their all black uniform and tried to make sense of the_

_situation._

_"I'm Pan, this is Rufio." The shorter man introduced himself to Jones. "We are what the military_

_refer to as the Lost Boys. Special Operation Units, not something the general public are aware_

_of." The larger soldier pushed Jones down in a chair and aimed his pistol at his knees._

_"I can't imagine you two being the poster children for the Republic's military heroes." He noticed_

_that despite their youth, they seemed quite experienced in handling both him and their weapons._

_"We prefer to stay out of the spotlight. That's why this line of work suits us just fine."_

_"Well, I prefer to stay alive, so tell me what sort of deal we need to make that happen."_

_"Our interest isn't with you, it's with Cora Mills. Are you familiar with her?"_

_"To my eternal detriment, yes." Jones admitted. "She's rather the bane of my existence at the_

_moment."_

_"Well then here's what's going to happen. You play along, you stay alive; you don't and rest_

_assured that your bounty will gladly be collected when we return your corpse to the Republic."_

_They told him the plan before disappearing into the night._

_It was early afternoon when his previous night's guest reemerged. They walked into his office_

_dressed in typical Volpurian business attire. His manservant, Mr. Smeed rang his hands as he_

_spoke to Jones. "Captain, they insisted you were expecting them."_

_Killian Jones slowly rose to his feet. "Ah, yes. Thank you Mr. Smeed, my apologies for forgetting_

_to inform you of my meeting this afternoon."_

_"Would you like tea, Sire?"_

_"That won't be necessary." He gestured to Pan and Rufio. "Please have a seat, I'm sure we_

_have much to discuss." They did as he instructed, carefully setting their briefcases down near_

_their feet._

_They sat in silence for the next thirty minutes; the only sound was from the Captain as he slowly_

_ran the sharp end of his hook along the edge of his desktop. He had, over the past few minutes,_

_managed to etch a smooth line, scratched in bit by bit as a way to relieve his frustrations as he_

_watched the minutes on the clock tick slowly by. Any minute now. He assured himself._

_"Captain Jones." Mr. Smeed interrupted his thoughts. "Mrs. Mills is here to see you."_

_KIllian Jones breathed out a sigh of relief. As soon as he saw the familiar cloaked figure_

_approaching, he pasted on a smile and stood. "Mrs. Mills, what brings you to my humble_

_abode?"_

_He watched as she sauntered in and sat gracefully in the chair, her legs crossed at her knees._

_"Just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by to visit." She gave him a smile_

_that did not reach her eyes. "I didn't realize you would already have company." She warily eyed_

_the two men._

_ He turned to his servant. "Mr. Smeed would you be so kind as to bring some tea and cookies in_

_for me and my guests." He arched one eyebrow when he spoke._

_"Of course, Sire. I'll be back in no time." Mr. Smeed bowed and disappeared from view._

_"Mrs. Mills, please allow me to introduce two of my fellow Volpurian businessmen. Mr. Pan and_

_Mr. Rufio have travelled some distance to discuss a business investment with me. It's just_

_fortuitous that you dropped in. Perhaps you're interested in listening to their proposition."_

_"I've retired from business." She said casually._

_"Perhaps we can persuade you to un-retire." Pan spoke the common Republic dialect with a_

_thick Volpurian accent. Killian Jones was impressed._

_"It would take a lot of persuasion." Cora helped herself to the pot of tea that Mr. Smeed had_

_placed on the side table._

_Pan smiled and wrapped his fingers around his briefcase. Opening it, he showed her that it was_

_stacked full of bundles of one hundred dollar Republican bills. "Ms. Mills, perhaps one hundred_

_thousand dollars could convince you to at least talk to us. Even if you choose to turn down our_

_proposition, at least give us the courtesy of hearing us out."_

_Cora's eyes traveled between the cash and Killian Jones, who for his part, was convincingly_

_surprised. He had no idea there was cash in the one briefcase. "What do you have to lose,_

_love? They just want to talk to us."_

_She huffed and waved her hand. "Very well, gentlemen, you have my attention."_

_"Excellent." Pan closed the briefcase and sat back in his chair. "Do you mind if I call you_

_Regina?"_

_"I very much mind." Cora spat. "You obviously have me confused with my daughter." She_

_glared at Killian Jones as she stood to leave._

_"My apologies." Pan exclaimed, obviously distressed. "We were under the impression that_

_Regina Mills was the mastermind behind PPI vestments" He looked to Killian Jones for help, but_

_the Captain just shrugged._

_"I assure you that my daughter couldn't mastermind her way out of a paper bag." Cora's voice_

_cut with a haughty edge. "Make no mistake, gentlemen, I am the one who made both Mills_

_Combat Vestments and PPI the successes they are."_

_"Perhaps that's true, but my orders are to negotiate a business deal with Regina Mills." He_

_seemed genuinely disappointed. "Cora Mills, Captain Jones, I'm sorry to have wasted your_

_time."_

_Jones stood to escort his guests out before Cora's voice carried over their conversation._

_"Perhaps the good Captain can vouch for my skills as an excellent business woman. After all he_

_is only one of the many who benefitted from deals with my companies." She glanced again at_

_the briefcase._

_Killian sighed. "She's right; all my business dealings have been directly with Cora. She's the_

_one you want."_

_"Though, I must confess." She offered. "I am rather lacking resources at the moment."_

_"We have the factory space and the materials. We just need a reputable face to do business_

_with the Andorvians."_

_"The Andorvians? They aren't engaged in the battles of Freylache."_

_"No, but they have a vested interest in the outcome of the battles near their western border. It_

_would be detrimental to them if the Republic were to gain any more of a foothold. The_

_Andorvians have allies who need better armor." He looked at Killian Jones. "And better weapons_

_to successfully fight off the Republic."_

_"No pun intended." Jones laughed. He was the only one. "Oh come on vested interest, that was_

_a bit funny." He stopped laughing when Rufio narrowed his eyes. "Very well. I can work on the_

_weapons supply, but I need a comprehensive list of your requirements." Rufio pulled an_

_envelope out of the pocket inside his jacket and handed it to the Captain. "I'll need a day or two_

_to figure out the prices, but I can supply you, no problem."_

_"Do you have a list for me?" Cora arched her eyebrow._

_"Are you interested in doing business with us?"_

_"I'd need to see your list first."_

_Pan pulled out a similar envelope and passed it to Cora. She studied it for a moment before_

_nodding. "I actually can get my hands on these small amounts within three days. I still have_

_some contacts who can ship them to me."_

_"We'll need your prices."_

_She wrote a figure on the sheet and passed it back to him. "I know it's expensive, but trust me,_

_my armor is well worth it."_

_Pan looked at the figure and nodded. "That is acceptable." He handed her the suitcase of cash._

_"Consider this the down payment."_

_"It's been a pleasure gentlemen." She exchanged business cards with them. "I'll contact you_

_when the shipment has arrived." Cora stood to leave. "Captain, thank you for the tea and the_

_contacts. I'll see you tomorrow for tea?"_

_"Sounds lovely." He stood and kissed her on the cheek. "Until tomorrow. Mr. Smeed will see_

_you out."_

_"Oh that won't be necessary, I know my way out." She kissed his cheek before firmly grasping_

_her briefcase and walking out._

_"Thank you, Captain. You performed very well." Pan watched Rufio follow after Cora. "I assure_

_you Cora Mills will no longer be a problem for you." He snatched the envelope and letter off of_

_Killian's desk._

_The sound of a single shot rang through the air. "We don't negotiate with traitors of the_

_Republic."_

_Killian Jones tried to swallow, but his throat was suddenly bone dry._

_"Keep that in mind Captain should you ever decide to step foot in our country."_

_"I have no plans to do that." He finally choked out._

_"Good. Keep it that way." Pan smiled before he disappeared around the corner._

_Mr. Smeed rushed into the room, his face an ashen gray. "My God, Captain, they killed her." He_

_mopped his forehead with a handkerchief._

_The Captain eyed him coolly. "Mr. Smeed, we never had visitors today. Understood?"_

_The man nodded frantically. "Perfectly, sire."_

_"Excellent." Killian Jones sat at his desk and took a deep breath. "My good man, would you bring me some fresh_


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: I didn't want to leave Emma (or you) hanging for too long...so here's the next chapter :D

Thank you for reading my story, and especially thanks to those who take the time to send me feed back about what you think and how my story makes you feel. It takes me three hours to write a chapter...it takes one minute to post some feedback...a fair trade I think, lol

As always, thank you to my wonderful beta, Elodealeaf. She makes sure each chapter is spit shine ready for me to post.

And a special thanks to my wife, EvilQueenBear for letting me pick her brain about the medical part of this chapter. It comes in handy to have an ER doc in the house ;)

**Chapter Forty**

Lieutenant Mulan felt the ground shake as she heard the nearby blast. Bomb. She thought as she frantically looked around for smoke and flames. Sergeant Blanchard flew out of her barracks and tossed her duffle bag to the ground.

"Lieutenant, was that a bomb?" She surveyed the area around them as Staff Sergeant Nolan ran towards them.

"Grab your gear and let's go. I have to get you to safety." The Lieutenant ordered as she readied her handgun and headed towards HQ. The two soldiers followed behind her in a wedge formation until Blanchard saw the smoke down the side road.

"Lieutenant, it's Ms. Mills barracks." The brunette pointed at the debris that littered the road as a squadron of soldiers rushed by them, heading towards the bombsite.

"Stay with me." Mulan barked and headed towards safety.

"We can't just leave them there." Nolan argued. "That's our team."

Mulan hesitated before agreeing. "Fine, let's go." They turned down the side path and joined the line of medics and rescuers. Broken concrete and large pieces of burning wood surrounded the obliterated barrack as well as the pathway to the road. Loose papers, many of which were burning, swirled in the wind, adding another element to the chaos.

Blanchard scanned the area for Emma and Regina, but in the smoky haze, it was too hard to distinguish shapes. She could see a small group of soldiers carrying a stretcher, so she ran towards them, only to find the victim had an MP insignia on his shoulder.

"Over here." Another soldier yelled and the three of them rushed towards his voice. A mound of broken concrete covered a body, so they immediately began to pull the debris off of the soldier.

"It's Emma!" Blanchard yelled when she saw the rank insignia on Master Sergeant Swan's uniform. They worked faster, clearing the debris off of her body.

"Stop." A medic ordered. "We need a saws-all."

Blanchard looked at the woman in confusion before she noticed the large piece of rebar that was impaled in Emma's calf. The other end of the rebar was embedded in a large piece of concrete that was still partially attached to the barricade that surrounded the barracks.

A fire truck had rolled up and began to extinguish the fires. One of the firemen handed masks to Mulan, Blanchard and Nolan. "Put these on so you don't inhale any more dust or smoke." He ordered before moving on. The sound of a saw brought Blanchard's attention back to Emma's leg, and she watched as sparks flew off the rebar as the saw cut through the metal. One medic had worked to stabilize the bar near Emma's calf as another worked to cut the rebar.

Nolan pulled Mary Margaret back, away from the scene. "We need to give them room to work."

"She's so still…" Blanchard shook her head. "And where's Regina?" She realized she hadn't seen the business woman. She turned and found a medic standing near a stretcher. "Excuse me, have they found Regina Mills?"

"Not that I'm aware of. The two MPs have been transported and they're working on one body." She pointed to Emma.

Blanchard's heart sank as she walked back to David.

"What did she say?" Nolan asked.

"They haven't seen her." Blanchard watched as the medic brought the stretcher over to Emma. The rescue team worked quickly, putting a c-collar on the Master Sergeant's neck and carefully rolling her body onto the wooden backboard.

"There she is!" Blanchard saw the brunette crawl onto her knees and hands now that the weight of Emma's body was off of her. Nolan and Blanchard rushed over to give her a hand.

"Regina!" Nolan wrapped his arm around her torso and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

Regina coughed weakly and looked around. "What happened?" She asked in confusion.

"There was a bomb, ma'am." A medic answered as he guided the brunette over towards an ambulance and had her sit down on the stretcher. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Regina Mills."

"Do you know where you are?" He flashed a penlight in her eyes, noting her pupils were equal. He put the light away and palpated her head and neck with his hands.

Regina thought for a moment. "Camp Azor. Where's Emma?"

"The other ambulance is taking her to the base hospital. Any pain in your neck?"

"No." She let him wrap the blood pressure cuff around her arm and waited for the tightening cuff to release its pressure. "I need my computer and papers."

"I can get them for you." Blanchard offered, overhearing Regina's request.

"Thank you, Sergeant." Regina coughed again.

The medic put his stethoscope on her back. "Take a nice deep breath…good." He moved the round metal head to the other side. "And again." He switched to her chest. "Any reason you aren't wearing armor, ma'am?"

"Long story." She gave him a withering look.

"Then it's a damn good thing the Master Sergeant landed on ya."

"It wasn't luck; she grabbed onto me."

The medic loaded the stretcher into the ambulance. "Well, either way she probably saved your life." He climbed in and knocked on the cab window. The driver slowly rolled away from the site and, picking up speed, raced towards the hospital. "We just want the doctors to check you out and make sure you're alright." Regina nodded and closed her eyes, letting her head rest against the pillow.

….

"On my count. 1…2…3." Doctor Christensen stated as the team worked in unison to move Emma's body from the stretcher to the Emergency Department bed. Belle French, RN, immediately attached the leads for the cardiac monitor and the pulse ox probe and blood pressure cuff to monitor Emma's vital signs. Emma was still unconscious as the doctor called out orders. "Start her on an IV of normal saline and run an EKG." Belle reached for the bag of saline and the IV supplies and handed them to the Lisa, another RN, to start the IV, before she placed the electrodes on Emma's chest and extremities to start the EKG. "Lisa, page Dr. Richter, she's going to need surgery to remove that rebar."

The doctor continued delivering orders. "I need a STAT CT of her head, neck, chest abdomen and pelvis, and x-rays of her lower left leg." One radiology tech walked quickly into the hallway to bring in the portable machine while the other tech ran to warm up the CT scanner.

"Lab, I need a CBC, CMP, PT/INR and CRP. Okay, people, let's go." Emma was surrounded by techs and nurses, each doing their jobs to put together the pieces of her personal puzzle. Through it all, she remained still, unaware of the commotion around her.

"O2 sat is 94 on room air; pulse is 68 and steady, BP 108 over 74." Belle read the readings from the machines. "Temperature of 98.6, respirations of 16."

"Monitor her oxygen and respirations." Doctor Christensen replied, waiting for the radiology tech to be finished with the portable X-Ray of her leg. The last image was taken and the tech moved the machine back into the hallway, making room again for the doctor to move to the patient's side."

She turned on the otoscope and examined Emma's ears. "Eardrums are intact. No serous or bloody drainage." Next she looked at Emma's eyes with an ophthalmoscope. Carefully opening each eyelid, she announced. "Pupils are equal and react to light." Looking deeper into the eye she stated. "Fundus is normal." Lastly, she examined Emma's nose and throat. "Mouth and throat without trauma. Belle, hold in-line cervical traction."

Belle moved to the blonde's head and placed her hands firmly on the side of Emma's face. The doctor opened the cervical collar, looking for signs of trauma, before palpating the back of Emma's neck. She locked the collar back in place. "She's stable enough to move to CT. I need those images!"

One by one the test results came in; the CTs were normal, the blood work excellent, her chest x-ray normal and the leg x-ray showed that the rebar had not fractured any bones, but rather was impaled through her muscle and soft tissue. "She's cleared for surgery." Doctor Christensen stated as she removed Emma from the hard backboard.

"Let's get to work." Doctor Richter ordered his team. They pushed her down the hallway towards the Surgical Department. Mary Margaret caught sight of them as they rolled past the visitor waiting room. She bolted down the hall to catch up.

"Doctor, wait please. That's my Master Sergeant, how is she?"

The doctor never slowed down, but one of the nurses turned to Blanchard. "Go ask Belle French, she was one of her RNs."

Belle was cleaning up the trauma room when Blanchard and Nolan found her. "Hey guys." She smiled as she bundled up the linens and put them in the laundry bin. "You two are okay then?"

"Yeah, we weren't there." Nolan nodded.

"How is she?" Blanchard pleaded for an answer.

Belle weighed her choices, knowing she wasn't supposed to give patient information out to non-family members. Screw it. She decided. They are her family. "Everything looks good. All her test results came back normal, but she hasn't woken up yet."

"What does that mean?" Nolan's voice was filled with concern.

"She might have a concussion. But there's no brain bruising or bleeding, so that's a positive thing. We'll know more after she wakes up from surgery."

"How bad is it?"

"No broken bones, the rebar went through her muscle and soft tissue."

"So that's good?"

"Yeah, that's good. She's gonna have a lot of pain for a few days; she had quite a few bruises on her arms."

"She was buried in chunks of concrete." Nolan informed her.

"Ah, then she's gonna be sore everywhere. Not to mention her leg injury; it must have been a hell of a blast to break down the concrete barrier."

"It was pretty bad. They had to saw off the rebar from the wall."

"Damn." Belle shook her head. "Oh, I saw them take Regina into Trauma Room Two. Was she badly hurt?"

"She was up and walking around. Emma covered her with her own body."

"Lucky for Regina." Belle noted. "I'll come find you guys when my shift is over in a couple hours. Hopefully Emma will be out of surgery by then."

Mary Margaret pulled the nurse into a hug. "Thank you for taking care of her."

Belle hugged her back. "She's going to need a lot of TLC now."

"I can do that. She teases me that I always mother her." Blanchard laughed as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Well then I'm sure she's in good hands."

….

"Ow!" Regina complained when the lab tech poked her once again.

"I'm sorry ma'am; your veins are quite small. Let me see if I can find a nurse to help me." The young tech backed out of the room, intimidated by the stern patient. She peeked into Trauma Room One, and sighed with relief when she saw Belle. "Hey could you come help me get a hard stick? I've tried three times and I think the patient's ready to snap."

Belle knew immediately that the patient was Regina Mills. "Sure." She smiled at the flustered tech.

"Thank God it's you." Regina declared when Belle came into her room followed by the inept lab technician. "I think she might be a touch sadistic." She growled as she glared at the tech.

"Now Ms. Mills, some people just have trickier veins than others. Let me try." Regina put her arm out for examination. Belle closed her eyes and palpated the inner crease of Regina's elbow. "There we go." She left her finger on the vein and reached for a butterfly needle. Carefully she pricked the skin and hit the center of the vein. She worked quickly to attach the vacu-tainer to the short plastic line from the needle. Immediately the first vial filled with dark red blood. "Two more." Belle switched tubes and filled them as well. She put a piece of cotton gauze over the needle and pulled it out. "All done." She stated, taping the gauze to Regina's arm.

"Thank you." Regina regally stated, still glaring at the tech who grabbed the tubes and disappeared down the hallway. Regina's voice softened. "Do you know how Emma is?"

Belle sat down and filled her in on Emma's condition. "We'll know a lot more when she's out of surgery."

"I don't know why she keeps doing it." Regina angrily brushed away a tear.

"Doing what?" Belle reached out and took the woman's free hand.

"Saving my life. I'm really not worth all the trouble."

"I think Master Sergeant Swan would disagree. I've seen the way she looks at you Regina; to her you are worth risking her life for." She was about to say more, but the door swung open and Doctor Martinez came back in.

"Good news Ms. Mills. Your blood test results just came back, and other than your potassium being a bit low, your results were excellent. I'm going to give you a couple potassium pills that you need to take before I release you. Other than that, just make sure you're getting enough fruits and vegetables while you're here at Azor."

Belle waited as Regina took the requisite medications and signed the paperwork for her release. "I can take you to your team. They're in the surgery waiting room."

"Thank you, Belle. I'd appreciate that." She said as she gingerly pulled on a clean black t-shirt and BDU pants.

They found Nolan, Blanchard and Lieutenant Mulan all sitting in the waiting room, guarded by two MPs standing in the doorway. "I can't stay, I'm still on duty. But I'll come join you as soon as my shift is over." Belle promised as they entered and she helped Regina to sit down next to Blanchard. "Regina, you're gonna be pretty sore the next couple of days. Try to take it easy." She smiled encouragingly.

"Taking it easy doesn't ever seem to happen around here." Regina noted as she turned to Blanchard. "Any news?"

"No. She's only been in there for half an hour. They say it will be a couple hours at least."

"Okay." Regina said softly. Blanchard reached over and gently put her hand on Regina's arm.

"Emma's a fighter, and you've given her something to fight for. She's going to be okay, you'll see."

Regina noticed the Sergeant's hand on her arm, but made no effort to move away. She was surprised to find the touch was comforting. She willed herself to be strong and refused the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. "Well, let's hope you're right."

…

_The phone rang and he quickly reached over and snatched the receiver. "Special Agent Dubois speaking."_

_"Assignment is complete. The target is dead."_

_"Well done. Ship her body back to the Republic; I'm sure someone's going to want to make sure it's really her. What's the status on the Captain?"_

_"He was most cooperative. I don't think we'll have any more problems from him."_

_"Good. Keep an eye on him; let me know if he becomes an issue."_

_"Will do."_

_He hung up the phone without saying goodbye. His next call was dialed by heart and he waited for his contact to pick up._

_"Major Morrow speaking."_

_"Major, this is Special Agent Dubois. Just wanted to inform you that Cora Mills is confirmed dead."_

_There was a brief moment of silence on the line. "Understood. What do you need from me?"_

_"Nothing right now."_

_"Mind telling me if she was still in the Republic?"_

_"Negative, she had fled to Volpure."_

_"How the hell did you guys figure that one out?"_

_"Mr. Sydney Glass; once he realized the stakes, he sang like a bird."_

_"Regina Mills is still sequestered per your request at Camp Azor."_

_"Good. Keep her there; she's safer than if she were back in the Republic. Our investigation is wrapping up. I'll contact you once our agents have had a chance to talk to her. She was smart to agree to cooperate; it bodes well for her if she discloses everything she knows."_

_"Camp Azor may not be as safe as we thought. Her barracks were blown up this morning. She survived, but Master Sergeant Swan is still unconscious. No suspects have been found."_

_"I'll look into it and see if there's any chatter about it. Someone usually likes to take credit for things like this."_

_"Thanks Dubois. I'll keep you updated on my end." Both men hung up their phones and set to work on investigating the bombing. _

_"Major Morrow, may I come in?" Sergeant Gold knocked on his CO's door._

_"Sergeant, of course." He waved the intelligence soldier into his office. "Have a seat. Any updates?"_

_"She's out of surgery and assigned to a hospital room on the med-surg ward. There's nothing else to report."_

….

Doctor Richter pulled off his surgical mask and gown as he watched the nurses wheel Master Sergeant Swan out of Operation Room Five. Pleased with the success of the surgery, he decided to reward himself with a visit to the Oasis when he was finished for the day. Cracking his neck he mused, _ hot springs would sure help my sore muscles._ But he had a couple things to do before he was off-shift. First was to speak with the Master Sergeant's team and CO about the surgery, and second was to do a thorough dictation of his work. He pulled on his white lab coat over his navy blue scrubs and walked to the waiting room. The MPs nodded and allowed him inside. _ Odd._ He thought; he had never seen the waiting room guarded before. Inside were four soldiers. _Three._ He amended as he recognized the civilian, Regina Mills. He sat down across from the group and gave them the update.

"She made it through surgery just fine. The rebar did minimal damage to her leg and with a couple weeks of rehab, she should be just fine. We started her on an IV antibiotic to ward off any infection that could occur. Right now she's been moved to the recovery room and then will be in med-surg room 218. Once she's settled the nurse will come and get you so you can visit her."

"Has she regained consciousness?" Lieutenant Mulan queried.

"Well, we sedated her for the surgery, so it's hard to tell if her status is due to the incident or to the anesthesia. We'll know in about twenty minutes when the anesthesia starts to wear off." He stood up to leave. "Doctor Stanley will be her assigned physician once she's in med-surg. He'll be making his rounds later tonight if you have any questions."

"Thank you Sir." They all replied.

It was another forty-five minutes of waiting before a nurse came to see them. "Hi, I'm Jason, Master Sergeant Swan's nurse. If you'd like to sit with her, I can let in two of you at a time. There's an adjacent room that you all can come stay in for as long as you need to."

They gathered up their belongings and, with the two MPs, followed the nurse, a First Lieutenant according to his name badge, up to the second floor and to the med-surg unit. "Here ya go." The nurse showed them into the small waiting room next to room 218. "There are vending machines down the hallway and the dining room is on the first floor. It's open the same hours as the Mess Hall and has the same food. Now who would like to see her first?"

Blanchard and Nolan walked into Emma's room, which was also guarded by two MPs. She laid unconscious on the hospital bed, IV tubes and monitors attached to her body. The quiet beeps and clicks were the only noises in the room.

Mary Margaret stood next to the bed with David behind her. She took Emma's warm hand as she wiped away her tears. "Hey Emma, it's us, Blanchard and Nolan." There was no response from the blonde, so Blanchard continued talking to her. "You were in an explosion outside of Regina's barracks. You're going to be alright, but you need to wake up honey." She gave Emma's hand a squeeze. "Regina's fine. You saved her life again. It's kind of becoming a habit, I think." She added with a sad smile. "Well, we're right next door if you need us." She leaned down and kissed Emma's brow.

David let her go and talked to Emma. "Master Sergeant, I know you've been through a lot today. I'll hold things together until you're ready to take back over." He rubbed her arm and gave her one last look before he too left the room.

"Did you want to go in?" Blanchard asked the Lieutenant.

"No, this is your time with her. Once she regains consciousness, I'll need to talk to her." She shifted uncomfortably. "Ms. Mills would you like to see her?"

Regina hesitated before nodding. "I won't be long."

"Take as much time as you need." Nolan assured her. "Blanchard and I were going to go grab some food for all of us."

Mary Margaret gave him a surprised look before understanding. "Right." She said in a chipper voice. "We're gonna be awhile." They left the waiting room with an MP following closely behind them.

Regina walked cautiously into Emma's room, slightly overwhelmed by the sight of the blonde woman lying so still in the hospital bed. She looked around before spying a chair that she dragged over so she could sit next to Emma's bed. Once she was settled she sat quietly for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "You're very brave, Emma. Braver than I would have been." She let her words hang in the air. "I've never had anyone so damned committed to making sure I stayed alive."

The IV pump beeped loudly and within seconds Jason entered the room. "Sorry to interrupt, I just need to change her IV." He made short work of it and smiled at Regina before he left them alone again.

"It's been a long time since I've felt like this." Regina gave a sad laugh as she stood next to Emma and held her hand. "And I don't know what it means for us, but I think I love you." She brushed the blonde locks out of Emma's eyes before she bent down and kissed her.

"You too." Emma mumbled so softly that Regina wondered if she imagined it. Her eyes flitted over Emma's body, which once again was stock still. The only change was the smallest of smiles on the Master Sergeant's face.


End file.
